Regulation round-up 22/11/11: Spain special
The biggest regulatory news from the egaming industry in the last seven days (16 November to 22 November 2011).
Spanish licensing process opens
Opening comes 48 hours ahead of last Sunday’s general election, but with the risk of a sovereign bailout for the EU country rising.
Operators will now be able to formally apply for the first wave of Spanish egaming licences after the licensing process in the EU country was opened.
A note in the country’s BoletÃn Oficial del Estado confirmed the opening, meaning specific licences can be applied for.
Those making applications are required to have a registered office in a European Economic Area (EEA) state, and at least one permanent representative in Spain.
Earlier this week eGaming Review exclusively revealed that 16 operators were priming themselves for applications, while this morning it emerged that a further three – Gaming Media Group, Chilipoker and Paddy Power – were set to follow suit.
Exclusive: 16 operators ready to submit Spanish licence applications
As many as 16 European and 14 local operators and media companies could be just 24 hours away from submitting applications for a Spanish licence should a Ministerial order be signed in, as expected, before Sunday’s general election.
eGaming Review has learned that 16 private European operators have completed, or are close to completing and submitting, an exhaustive amount of paperwork in order to apply for a general Spanish online gambling licence ahead of the market opening on 1 January next year.
Sources close to the matter have informed eGaming Review that PokerStars, Bet365, Bwin (joint venture with PartyBets), Ladbrokes, Miapuesta (Sportingbet), Paf, 888, William Hill, Bet-at-home, BetVictor, Betfair, Lottomatica, Snai (decision pending), Titanbet, NetBet, Buongiorno have all applied for a general licence worth an initial 2m.
Three more operators confirm Spanish entry
A further three operators have confirmed they will apply for and enter the newly regulating Spanish market, eGaming Review has learned.
Gaming Media Group has signed a deal with two local poker brands, Habana Poker on the Boss network and NostrumPoker on the GTECH G2-owned International Poker Network, while it is close to signing a third Spanish site deal to form an enlarged group under a Pokerheaven.es brand.
Operators risk Spanish exclusion if back taxes not paid, sources say
Operators preparing to apply for a Spanish online gaming licence that have not paid back taxes from 28 May could be at risk of being excluded from being approved by the local regulator, eGaming Review has learned.
Just days before the licence application process is due to open if, as expected the remaining 38 decrees are published by the end of this week, any operator that not paid 25% of its Spanish gross gaming revenues from the day legislation was passed could face exclusion from the first round of licensing, a source close to the matter has told eGaming Review.
Seven days in regulation:
Unibet buys EurosportBet owner
Unibet is preparing to re-enter the French market after agreeing a deal to acquire Solfive SAS for an initial consideration of £4.8m.
The deal, which also includes a net cash adjustment of £1.3m, will see the operator take control of 100% of shares in the company, while providing an additional £2m to enable the French company to settle a fixed debt.
Unibet to hand in French licences after EurosportBet acquisition
Unibet will return its French licences to regulatory authority ARJEL following its purchase of EurosportBet parent Solfive SAS, chief executive Henrik Tjärnström has told eGaming Review.
EurosportBet already holds accreditation for poker, sports betting and horse betting, so the licence reapplication necessitated by the £4.8m takeover will see Unibet seek clearance to continue operating under the existing licences held by the French operator.
PokerStars’ lead in Italy cut
PokerStars’ share of the Italian cash poker market continued to contract in October, falling 2.5% month-on-month to just over 21%.
The operator’s 21.7% share of revenue from the Italian ring games market in October represents a fall of around 7% from the high of 28.4% it claimed in August, the first full month of regulated cash poker in Italy, according to the latest monthly dataset from Italian regulator AAMS.
32Red planning to launch in Italy next year
32Red is in the process of applying for an Italian license and aims to launch a website in the first half of 2012, CEO Ed Ware has revealed.
Ware described Italy as the “perfect” new market for 32Red, following the announcement that Italian regulatory body AAMS is to step up its crackdown on unlicensed operators by forcing financial institutions to provide details of transactions between blacklisted operators and players.
Frank and Campbell speak at House poker hearing
Among the other witnesses appearing at the hearing were Nevada State Gaming Control Board (GCB) chairman Mark Lipparelli and American Gaming Association (AGA) president Frank Fahrenkopf.
Probability “will not apply” for Spanish or Danish licences
AIM-listed mobile operator Probability will not be applying for licences in Spain or Denmark, chief executive Charles Cohen has revealed to eGaming Review.