Estimated losses between $3.2m and $4.3m per week have been plaguing the 700 Andalucian lottery administrators in Spain as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis.
In addition to the weekly losses, total damages since the state of emergency was declared on March 14 are estimated to be between $19.4m and $25.9m.
José Gabriel López, representative of Andalusia in the National Association of Provincial Associations of Lottery Administrators (Anapal), told Europa Press that profit losses in Spain stand at $20.5 million.
According to López, around 2,100 families are affected by the Temporary Employment Regulation File (ERTE), thus they’re the ones suffering the most: “We’ve been forced to seek ERTEs, but as soon as we return to our normal activities, those jobs will still be there, they’re not lost.”
López said that it won’t be easy to reactivate lottery services, but that it’s not an exclusive problem from the sector, but rather a ‘disgrace that has fallen upon all of us.’
In order to fight the effects of the pandemic, Anapal, the Spanish national lottery association, has requested to start selling Christmas products in July, the date its aiming to resume normal activities.
The representative, who is also the head of the Administration 5 of Baza in Granada, added: “On a personal basis, I want to remind people that when they play our games, that money goes to the government, it’s for everyone. That money is spent by the state on society. With these games, we all benefit.”
