"One-third of the 18s admit they've ever wagered."
- Dozens of residents of the Pamplona neighborhoods of Ermitagaina and Mendebaldea met last Saturday to support the demonstration against the betting houses of the County of Pamplona convened by the Platform Against the Betting Houses of the County of Pamplona. The protest will start at 18.00 from the Plaza del Castillo in Bilbao. Also, under the motto Their business, the misery of the working class, the Ermitaldea association denounced the rise of this type of premises and the pathological gambling they generate in young people.
Mikel Ansorena Gutiérrez, a member of the Hermitage and the platform against gambling halls, stressed the concern to face this expansion as an instrument of hope: “More and more neighborhoods and towns are joining us and we hope the movement will move forward.” In addition, he has trusted that the next rally will serve to "take people out into the street and regulate betting houses".
In this awareness, the association against pathological gambling in Navarra Aralar has been working for 24 years, which has a close relationship with the regional platform created this year in the capital of Navarra. According to his data, “there are about 60 such businesses in Navarre, and the number is increasing”. It should be noted that in the Saturday rally, “60% of players are not able to repay the loans requested”. In addition, they criticized the media as “they do not lack publicity”.
The future at stake
The main concern is about the future, as “data that point to the habit of wagering young people are especially surprising, one-third of 18-year-olds admit they have ever wagered,” they said. The platform considers that one of the causes of this phenomenon, in addition to the "attractiveness" characteristic of gambling halls, is their close location with respect to schools. For example, Jaso Ikastola is 350 metres from Reno Hall in the Mendebaldea district, 200 metres from Merkur and 190 metres from Sportium. In addition, they remembered that on the side of the balcony are the Library of Navarra and the Conservatory of Music. Therefore, they have concluded that their neighborhood is “a mirror of the rise of betting houses”, as the situation is not exceptional in Pamplona, where 90% of betting houses are less than 200 meters from a school center, according to news published last week by Diario de Navarra.
The members of the Ermitaldea stated that this situation was “aggravating” and made the following communications: “We want out of the neighborhood those who want to get benefits by promoting addiction, and they don’t stop us.” And that is, they qualified, “the consumer is always losing out.” That is why next Saturday the Platform Against the Betting Houses of the County of Pamplona wants to end the game and win at last.
Indarrean sartu da Eusko Jaurlaritzak eginiko jokoaren lege berria EAEn. Aurrerantzean, apustu etxeek ikastetxeetatik gutxienez 150 metrora egon beharko dute, eta bi joko aretoren artean 500 metroko distantzia errespetatu beharko dute.
