The Spanish press has rejected a draft bill, the Law on Games (Ley de Juego eg. Poker etc), which would oblige them to check that a client company has a licence and pays the correct tax.
The law was approved by Congress three weeks ago and is currently going through Parliament.
The organizations that represent the press, radio and television have issued a joint statement claiming the requirements under the law impose a “fiscal responsibility” which “has no legal sense.” They are demanding the Government amend the draft before it becomes law.
In its current form if a games company, which does not have a licence and thus is “on the margins of legality,” places an advertisement the law imposes fines of between 100.000 and a million euros. However, if the games company defaults on the fine the liability is transferred to the organ of the press which published the advertisement. This leaves the press, television and radio companies little choice but to check the legal status of their clients before accepting advertising or accumulating massive fines if their clients default.
In the statement the press organizations claim that the legal status of companies should be investigated by the correct official body which has some legal standing. However, Central Government claims the law will introduce a level of “self regulation” for companies advertising games in the press.
