ASMAREM proposes a 'light' B machine to halt the decline of the B1 park

Carlos Liébana, president of ASMAREM Madrid, states that the installation of a 'light' B machine could help maintain the current recreational park in the Community of Madrid. In the first half of 2026, there are 142 fewer hospitality venues with machines installed compared to the end of 2025, and between 2019 and 2025, the B1 park decreased by 23%. Liébana analyzes these figures and calls for adapting the recreational offer to the new hospitality model.

The real decline: figures and context

ASMAREM Madrid states that the loss of hospitality venues with B1 machines stands at 142 units in just the first half of 2026 compared to the end of 2025. The association recalls that, during the 2019–2025 period, the number of B1 machines in the Community of Madrid contracted by 23%. These data, presented by Carlos Liébana in an exclusive interview for Sector del Juego, are the starting point for his diagnosis.

Liébana attributes the contraction to the transformation of hospitality: the traditional type from the late 20th century is decreasing while being replaced by specialized venues and franchises, whose managers do not consider installing recreational machines.

"The traditional hospitality type from the late century is tending to diminish, being replaced by another type of specialized venues and/or franchises, where their managers do not consider the installation of recreational machines," stated Carlos Liébana.

Differences between segments: B1 in hospitality and B2 in specific venues

While the B1 park decreases in hospitality, the B2 machines installed in salons, bingos, and casinos showed growth in 2025. According to the data cited by Liébana, there was an increase of 127 machines and 397 positions in the B2 segment.

ASMAREM and ANDEMAR MADRID interpret this evolution as a direct consequence of the commercial and fiscal structure of each type of venue. Specific gaming establishments maintain a broad offer, can expand positions, and have more favorable taxation regarding increasing machines in hospitality. Furthermore, these venues retain part of the social function that traditional hospitality historically provided.

Impact on operators and the business fabric

The contraction of the B1 park has been detrimental to operating companies. Liébana indicates that operators have disappeared, along with part of the business fabric of the sector. In a temporal perspective, the Community of Madrid went from 1,450 registered operating companies in 2005 to 811 in 2025.

This sustained concentration forces companies that remain to reduce their commercial margin, and Liébana warns that this margin is difficult to recover in the future. For hospitality, the cause of the loss is the evolution of the sector itself; there is no external response that can stop it on its own.

The proposal: 'light' B machine and updating of recreational machines

ASMAREM outlines two lines of action to halt the loss of the B1 park. In the short term, it proposes authorizing the installation of a 'light' B machine with a lower prize and a reduced tax rate to help maintain machines in hospitality venues. In the medium to long term, it calls for the continued evolution of current recreational machines to make them attractive to the final customer and suitable for the new types of hospitality.

Liébana details that a 'light' B would not replace the rest of the offer, but could be an option for venues where the business model and clientele do not justify the installation of a complete B1 machine.

What this means for operators and hospitality providers

For operators, the reduction of the park and the disappearance of companies means lower business volume and margin. For hospitality providers, the transformation of the venue model — especially the expansion of franchises and specialized venues — is the primary cause of the lack of recreational installations.

Operators and industry associations, including ANDEMAR MADRID, demand policies that recognize the evolution of leisure offerings and allow regulatory and fiscal options that make the presence of recreational machines viable in more establishments. The debate lies between specific fiscal solutions and the need to modernize the product to fit the current hospitality landscape.

Regulatory implications and open questions

The 'light' B proposal raises regulatory and fiscal questions: what prize thresholds and what types of tax reductions would be acceptable; how to fit the new category within regional regulations; and what impact it would have on responsible gaming and inspection. ASMAREM presents the idea as a short-term containment measure, while the modernization of machines would be the structural solution.

The conversation initiated by Carlos Liébana and sector associations sets the agenda for operators, manufacturers, and regional authorities in the Community of Madrid. Maintaining business capabilities, avoiding more operator closures, and adapting the offer to the new hospitality landscape are the objectives guiding the proposal.

What industry professionals should monitor

• evolution of the number of hospitality venues with machines in the second half of 2026 and year-end;

• possible regulatory or fiscal initiatives from the Community of Madrid that formalize the figure of a 'light' B;

• how manufacturers and operators respond to the demand for machines with formats designed for franchises and specialized venues.

The data presented by ASMAREM Madrid —142 fewer venues in H1 2026, a 23% drop in B1 between 2019 and 2025, and the reduction of operating companies from 1,450 in 2005 to 811 in 2025— constitute the numerical framework that necessitates seeking both regulatory and product solutions.