Ten years have passed since the company Reta opened its first site in Bilbao, and since then it has opened another 56 premises in different parts of Spain. The company Reta has machines in bars and restaurants in addition to betting houses. Depending on the interactions, Reta has 2,500 terminals – betting machines – installed in restaurants and bars. In addition, the group that promoted the concentration has highlighted the entry of large companies into the betting market. "These big companies will always be winning."

According to the conveners of the concentration, since the beginning of the economic crisis the betting market in Spain has grown "a lot": "The Basque Government estimates that in the Basque Autonomous Community €340 million was spent on betting in 2017, 10% more than in 2016 and 113% more than in 2012. These companies made profits of 46 million euros, 13% more than in 2016, and 80% more than in 2012. In seven years, bets in the Basque Autonomous Community have multiplied by 36 million in 2017." In this sense, they have pointed out that betting houses should be understood within the logic of the capitalist system: "Citizens who lose money on wagering are in the shadow of corporate profits, because the fact that betting houses have earned so much money means that people have lost so much. On a day when precariousness is the bread of every day, there are many citizens who choose to wager for extra money. It is no coincidence that betting houses are located in working-class neighborhoods. He says the wager is not income, but a few are accumulating large incomes in recent times."

In addition, Elkar-ekin has denounced that betting houses are using "techniques that generate addiction" to make money, even though they claim that they "promote responsible play": "Speed is one of the main features of the current form of wager. We can do the other before a wager ends, and in many cases when you lose a wager we will try to recover the lost money immediately, putting it into a whirlwind that has no end."

The campaign against betting houses has been promoted by the Elkar-ekin group in the municipality. This group started the fight against betting houses about five months ago, and since then there have been many mobilizations, initiatives and talks that have been organized in the village, with the aim of repatriating the issue of betting houses and raising people's awareness. Among the anti-business initiatives, Elkar-ekin has collected signatures. In just over a month, 1,636 citizens signed against the betting house. In addition, Elkar-ekin organized two talks to analyze the issue, attended by many neighbors and neighbors. The group considers that the work done so far has borne fruit and has pointed out that it is an example of this that in the betting house of Azpeitia there are "fewer people" than in other localities.

The members of the Elkar-ekin group have shown themselves willing to continue fighting betting houses and have announced a new initiative in today’s concentration. From 17 January to 14 March, every Thursday, they want to have a concentration in front of the betting house. To make this possible, Elkar-ekin provides for the participation of about 45 people. That is why he has called on the citizens to put their grain of sand.

The feminist group Basanderiek, the unions LAB, ELA and CNT, EH Bildu, sortu, the cultural association Orkatz, the youth organization Ernai, the football association Ilunpe, the sports club Ikasberri, Azpeitiko Gaztetxiek, Erniarraitz bertso eskola, Khamar Bataro

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