AGEO (Galician Association of Gaming Operators) questioned information about gaming machines collection in Galicia appeared in Annual Gaming Report 2008 published by the Ministry of Interior.

AGEO ensures that it included figures are based on estimation and don't reflect the real situation of the sector in Galicia.

The Annual Gaming Report Spain 2008 fixed in 57,994 euro the amount played per year per machine (net amount 14.498,57 €) and multiplies it by 13,607 gaming machines that are currently in Galicia. These figures aren't real because they don't contemplate a significant number of inoperative machines.

AGEO states that in 2008, a total of operating machines type B in Galicia was of 11,571 and the amount played per year in each of them was 38,000 € (net amount 9,500 €). Based on these figures, the real collection is 439 millions euro against 459 in 2007. Therefore, there isn't absolutely an increase over previous year, as stated the Report, but a decrease of 4.5%.

According to FAMAR (Federation of Gaming Machines Associations) currently situation of Spanish economy is having a very negative impact in gaming sector having a 8% fall in revenues in 2008 and 20% in first half of the year.

They claim reduction in taxes of 25% in 2010 and 2011 applied to almost 250,000 machines type B installed in Spain. Spanish Autonomous Communities collect approximately 900 million euro for this concept.

The current tax is clearly unsustainable and many operating companies are being forced to discontinue a significant number of machines because they are unable to pay the corresponding game tax.

Source: Press Release