Inbound Spanish Coalition appoints Alberto Garzon as gambling supervisor

Despite failing to secure a parliamentary majority, the agreed ‘socialist coalition’ of PSOE and Podemos (minority partner) have confirmed that Alberto Garzon Espinosa will be appointed as Minister of Consumer Affairs to oversee Spain’s gambling regulatory development.

On Sunday, Spain’s parliamentary vote saw PSOE leader Pedro Sanchez fail once more in his attempt to secure a governing majority despite Catalan independence party Esquerra obliging its MPs to abstain from voting.

An embarrassed Sanchez failed to secure the required 176 votes (165 in favour) approving PSOE-Podemos coalition pact, as a number of provincial party MPs voted against PSOE’s governing mandate.

Spanish Parliament will vote once again this week, as Sanchez and Podemos leader Pablo Iglesias try to convince provincial party MPs that the socialist coalition will govern with a ‘progressive agenda in mind’.

Alberto Garzon is the current deputy of Podemos and further serves as the leader of Spanish left-wing coalition Izquierda Unida (United Left).

Spanish news sources report that as the intended Minister of Consumer Affairs, Garzon’s department will be issued with new responsibilities overseeing the regulatory development of Spanish gambling – a mandate formerly overseen by Spain’s Finance Ministry.

“Alberto Garzon will assume a portfolio that brings together the rights of consumers, ecological and responsible engagements, gambling and betting houses,” PSOE informed national media.

In its update, PSOE and Podemos underline that gambling needs to be overseen by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, as gambling addiction requires close scrutiny by Spain’s national health services and stakeholders.

Agreeing on coalition terms, PSOE and Podemos leadership have stated that they will deliver concrete reforms to Spanish Gambling, approving reforms on Spanish advertising and further federal controls on land-based gambling venues.