Gambling and betting arcades may not be installed in the vicinity of schools for children aged 6 to 17 in the Canary Islands. This is established in one of the final provisions of the decree law on access to the public function of the Autonomous Community published this Monday in the Official Gazette of the Canary Islands (BOC).
Through this decree, the Canarian executive will determine the area of influence in which establishments dedicated to games of chance and betting, as well as bars, cafeterias or similar establishments, will be banned.
The decree law also establishes a minimum separation of 200 meters in a straight line between different recreational and gaming arcades; and 75 meters if they are located on the same floor of a shopping center.
Those recreational and gaming arcades and bingo halls that, upon the entry into force of this regulation, have valid authorizations, as well as the renewal thereof, will be exempt.
The Canarian executive considers it necessary to adopt urgent measures to prevent the concentration of gambling venues (recreational and gaming arcades, bingo halls, external betting venues and casinos) in certain geographical areas in order to avoid normalization in the presence of minors.
"It is evident that the mere prohibition of entry to this type of establishment, as well as their participation in this type of activity, while being an essential and effective measure, is insufficient," adds the executive in the decree law published in the BOC, hence the need to "remove from educational centers" all that activity.
