ICE Sustainable Gambling Zone Donation Boosts Fundación Convivir's Global Profile

The international gambling industry is sending a clear signal regarding player protection and social responsibility. The Argentine organization Fundación Convivir has received a donation of €20,000, awarded as part of the Sustainable Gambling Zone (SGZ) at the ICE Barcelona trade fair. For the foundation, which has been active in addiction prevention for 41 years, this financial support acts as a vital catalyst. It enables the organization to elevate its prevention and treatment programs to a new international level.

Mercedes Aranguren, President of Fundación Convivir, emphasized that the impact of this donation extends far beyond its monetary value. The visibility on the global stage helps bring the foundation's daily work to the attention of the professional community. A central focus is the role of education in the development of children and adolescents. Early identification of symptoms and the strengthening of protective factors are core pillars of the foundation's work, which are now being bolstered by these industry funds.

Numbers and facts

The donation to the Argentine foundation is part of a larger charitable initiative. A total of €80,000 was distributed to four different organizations dedicated to safer gambling. This sum was made possible by contributions from eleven prominent industry companies. The donors include Acordjoc, Betsson Group, BGaming, Cirsa, Flutter, Grupo Orenes, Merkur, Merkur Dosniha, Novomatic, Novomatic Spain, and Zitro.

Fundación Convivir is using the €20,000 for concrete projects at its outpatient center. This includes expanded workshops for families and significant adults in the lives of young people. These courses are designed to raise awareness of gambling harms and provide practical support strategies. Additionally, the quarterly webinar program has been expanded, some held in partnership with ALEA for communities across Argentina. A specific highlight is a scientific symposium at the University of La Plata in August, focusing on mental health, gambling addiction, and excessive screen time.

"The donation brought international recognition to our daily work regarding the role of education in the development of children and adolescents, specifically in identifying protective factors and providing treatment when early symptoms appear." - Mercedes Aranguren, President of Fundación Convivir

Background

The Sustainable Gambling Zone was first introduced at the ICE show in 2018. It serves as a platform to place player protection directly at the center of the industry's business activities. Mercedes Aranguren sees this as a good start but calls for a steady evolution of these approaches. She believes it is not enough to simply look after gamblers. Instead, the broader environment, communities, and public policy must be considered. The design of products offered by major betting companies also plays a crucial role.

The foundation adopts a multidisciplinary approach and cooperates with both public and private bodies. Through a partnership with the Argentine Advertising Council, for example, social media campaigns are used to specifically highlight the risks of sports betting among young people. Aranguren welcomes initiatives like the ICE Research Institute as evidence that the industry is willing to engage constructively with safer gambling organizations.

Why it matters for German players

For German players, this news serves as evidence of the global trend toward stricter player protection standards. Although Fundación Convivir operates in South America, many of the donors are based in Europe and are also active in Germany. In the Federal Republic, player protection is particularly strictly regulated by the Interstate Treaty on Gambling 2021 (GlüStV 2021). German customers benefit from nationwide limits, such as the cross-provider deposit limit of €1,000 per month and the stake limit of €1 per round on virtual slot machines.

The central monitoring system LUGAS ensures that these boundaries are maintained. The international support of prevention projects by major brands shows that the awareness of social responsibility is growing. This strengthens long-term trust in regulated markets, as players see that a portion of profits is reinvested into the protection of vulnerable groups.

What it means for GGL-licensed casinos

Casinos with a license from the Gemeinsame Glücksspielbehörde der Länder (GGL) are under strict observation. The participation of well-known companies like Merkur or Novomatic in such donation campaigns underscores their ambition to be perceived as reputable actors. For operators on the GGL whitelist, promoting prevention is not just a marketing stunt but a regulatory necessity. They must prove that they utilize early detection systems and actively protect vulnerable players.

Anyone playing at a GGL-licensed casino can be certain that the operator respects German laws. In contrast to illegal offshore offers (e.g., from Curacao) that often provide little to no protection mechanisms, licensed brands invest in knowledge and research. The cooperation between the industry and experts like Fundación Convivir could eventually lead to the development of even more effective prevention methods in Germany based on scientific findings.