€20,000 ICE Sustainable Gambling Zone Donation Advances Fundacion Convivir Prevention Programs
TL;DR — Fundacion Convivir received a €20,000 donation from the ICE Sustainable Gambling Zone as part of an €80,000 fund from 11 gaming firms. The support has lifted the organization’s international profile and funded family workshops, webinars, a La Plata symposium and advertising council campaigns. Aranguren cited validation of its 41-year history but noted the approach remains limited without addressing policy and product scope.
SCCG Take — Targeted industry donations can amplify credible prevention work yet expose gaps when focus stays solely on individual gamblers. Operators and regulators must broaden dialogue to systemic factors for more effective outcomes.
Fundacion Convivir has received a €20,000 donation from the Sustainable Gambling Zone at ICE Barcelona ’26. The Argentina-based organization applies a multidisciplinary approach to addiction prevention, treatment, research and training in partnership with public and private bodies. This funding forms part of an €80,000 charitable initiative supported by 11 gaming companies: Acordjoc, Betsson Group, BGaming, Cirsa, Flutter, Grupo Orenes, Merkur, Merkur Dosniha, Novomatic, Novomatic Spain and Zitro.
Mercedes Aranguren, president of Fundacion Convivir, stated that the donation has delivered international recognition and enabled initiatives that would otherwise have been difficult to implement. According to G3 Newswire, the funds support expanded workshops for families, quarterly webinars delivered with ALEA, a scientific symposium at the University of La Plata on mental health, gambling addiction and excessive screen time, and social media campaigns with the Argentine Advertising Council on sports betting risks for children and young people.
Recognition of Enduring Prevention Work
Aranguren confirmed that the visibility validates the organization’s 41-year history. “Our organisation has a 41-year history and we have been working on these issues for many years. The visibility, sustainability and expertise associated with our work positions us as a local reference point for other civil society organisations and treatment centres. It is also important in helping to shape public policy on addiction.”
Where the Sustainable Gambling Approach Must Expand
The Sustainable Gambling Zone, introduced to the ICE show floor in 2018, receives a measured assessment from Aranguren. “We consider it a good start, though it remains a limited perspective,” she said. “While caring for gamblers is important, we must also address the broader environment, communities, public policy and the scope of the products offered by major betting companies. Addressing demand alone is not sufficient.”
Aranguren welcomed the ICE Research Institute and cross-sector dialogue as signs of industry willingness to invest in collaborative prevention, particularly for children and adolescents. Operators should weigh this balance between targeted funding and the need for wider environmental and policy measures when assessing partnership models. This points to sustained engagement as essential for credible progress on gambling-related harms.
Reporting: G3 Newswire
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
Industry donations amplify credible harm-prevention work, but Fundacion Convivir reminds us family workshops alone won't fix systemic design.
We've watched sustainability panels check boxes for years. Fundacion Convivir took €20,000 from 11 operators and immediately told ICE the model is too narrow—ignoring policy, product scope, and community factors. That honesty is rare and exactly what the industry needs if responsible gambling is going to mean anything beyond marketing.
- €20,000 from ICE Zone funded workshops, webinars, La Plata symposium, youth campaigns
- Aranguren: visibility validates 41 years of work, shapes local policy dialogue
- Fundacion critiques donor model—caring for gamblers isn't enough without addressing product design, policy
SCCG angle: SCCG connects operators to prevention partners with track records and the courage to push back. If you're sourcing credible voices for Latin American harm-reduction strategy or need introductions to groups who will tell you what's broken—not just cash the check—we broker those relationships across 545 partners in every regulated market.
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