Codere issues Miapuesta with "anti-competitive" injunction
Madrid court grants Codere permission to issue injunction calling for provisional shutdown of Miapuesta.com and .es, claiming its sites are anti-competitive.
A Madrid court has granted Spanish land-based casino group Codere permission to issue an injunction calling for the provisional shutdown of Miapuesta.com and .es, Sportingbet’s local brand, claiming its sites are anti-competitive.
According to local sources it is thought Codere had been considering pursuing other dot.com operators that hold significant Spanish market share, however none of them are domiciled in Spain, whereas Miapuesta is and is therefore “easier to pursue”.
A legal source close to the matter described the judge behind the injunction as “brave” when granting Codere permission to pursue its claims, particularly in light of the new online gaming law in place in Spain since the middle of last year.
“If they [dot.com operators] have paid and pay their taxes on time, they shouldn’t have a problem”, the local source said.”
As reported by eGaming Review Spain’s new government has delayed the launch of a regulated market by six months in order to give the regulator enough time to verify and issue successful applicants with their licences by 30 June this year.
Crucially, in this case, this also means that the amnesty period for dot.com operators in which they will be able to continue to offer products and advertise to Spanish players as well sponsor various activities in the country without fear of prosecution has been extended as a result.
When contacted by eGaming Review a Sportingbet spokesman said the company had so far not received an official notification that it had been served with an injunction and that he had no further comment until then.