Regulation round-up 10 January 2012
The biggest regulatory news from the egaming industry in the last seven days (3 January to 9 January 2012).
Spain delays market opening by six months
Spain egaming launch delayed six months to give regulator time to verify and issue successful applicants with licences by 30 June this year.
The launch of Spain’s online gambling market has been delayed 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.
As a result, the newly formed Spanish government, whose ministers met for the first time on 30 December, amended its gaming law and extended 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.
On 16 December last year eGaming Review revealed that a total of 62 operators have applied for an egaming licence in Spain, but that the sheer volume of paperwork needed to process applications was likely to scupper a 1 January launch.
Spanish regulator Juan Carlos Alfonso had met every deadline in the run up to the scheduled market opening however, the lack of time and manpower needed to process more than an estimated 600kg of documentation has halted recent progress.
Belgian Gaming Commission confirms licensees
The Belgian Gaming Commission has named nine sites among the first wave of licensees in the newly regulating market.
eGaming Review named eight of the sites in November, and PokerStars, Partouche and the six others have been joined by sports betting operator Betfirst.
The commission is expected to announce the first names on its unlicensed operator blacklist later this month, with bwin.party – which continues to offer dot.com egaming to Belgian residents – among those which may be included.
US regulation: What was once a possibility is now assured
Following the public disclosure of the DoJ’s position on the Wire Act it is no longer “possible” that the US will legalise internet poker, it is “assured”, argues Anthony Cabot, gaming law practice group leader at Lewis and Roca.
Seven days in regulation:
Unibet opens doors to French customers
Unibet’s dot.fr site has opened to French customers for the first time since the Swedish operator completed the acquisition of EurosportBet owner Solfive in November.
Players attempting to access the EurosportBet.fr site will now be redirected to Unibet.fr following the completion of the transition period agreed upon at the time of the takeover.
Lesniak pledges to get NJ gaming bill signed
New Jersey Senator Raymond Lesniak has pledged to pass his egaming bill through the state’s legislature and get it signed by Governor Chris Christie within the “first few weeks of the new session” which begins next week.
The chairman of the state’s Senate Economic Growth Committee said it was not a question of “if New Jersey gets internet wagering, but when. My money’s on soon,” he said.
Winamax overtakes Stars in France
Winamax has overtaken PokerStars.fr to become the leading operator for cash-game traffic in the French market.
The operator now boasts a seven-day average of 1,980 cash game players at any one time, ahead of PokerStars.fr’s 1,680, according to tracking site Pokerscout.