The future arrival of the largest gambling, casino and betting fair in Barcelona in 2025 has generated a strong debate in Catalonia.
Despite the projected economic impact of 280 million euros, the Generalitat de Catalunya, headed by the ‘conseller’ de Salut, Manel Balcells, has expressed concern about the possible negative effects on public health, especially in relation to pathological gambling.
The decision to move the fair from London to Barcelona for the next five years has been questioned by Balcells, who considers that any event that promotes gambling and increases the risk of pathological gambling is against public health.
The ‘conseller’ has emphasized that this proposal goes against the efforts to guarantee equal opportunities and prevent dependence on chance in people’s lives.
Controversy surrounding the Gaming Fair in Barcelona
Concern about gambling addiction is a relevant issue in Catalonia and around the world. Balcells pointed out that many young people are already addicted to online gaming and screens, and that society should not encourage this addiction.
To address this problem, the Govern is working on a behavioral addictions law that aims to protect the right to health and ensure a society with equal opportunities.
The call to withdraw the gambling fair project not only comes from the Generalitat, but also Balcells hopes that the Barcelona City Council will reconsider its support for the event.
Although there are other options for fairs and shows that could fit in the city, the final decision is still pending.
The controversy has also spread to other projects, such as the Hard Rock plan, which has been backed by ERC but which Balcells hopes will ultimately not materialize.
Gambling and pathological gambling
In addition to concerns about gambling and pathological gambling, there is another concern that has gained prominence during the pandemic: the rise of video game addiction among young people.
Specialists have observed a significant increase in consultations related to the excessive use of video games, especially among young people between 14 and 20 years of age.
Although the Pathological Gambling and Behavioral Addictions Unit of the University Hospital of Bellvitge was already receiving consultations on the excessive use of video games, the prevalence of these consultations has quadrupled in the last year, from 3.5% to 15.4% of the total.
This increase could be related to confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has led to an increase in gambling time among young people.
Massive online video games and multiplayer role-playing games seem to generate the most problems of excessive use.
