Three more operators confirm Spanish entry
Gaming Media Group, Chilipoker and Paddy Power will all feature in the newly regulating Spanish egaming market, eGaming Review has learned.
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.
The Poker Channel and Casinojoy and Bingojoy owner, that rose nine places to number 34 in eGR’s Power 50 2011, will apply for a general licence and begin to offer poker and casino should its application be approved before the market is expected to open on 1 January, CEO Crispin Nieboer (pictured) told eGaming Review. Once it launches next year it will then consider whether or not to offer sports betting in mid-2012, he added.
The deal involves its preferred partners taking a minority stake in the company with GMG remaining majority shareholders. eGaming Review understands a fourth partner is also in GMG’s sights.
In June GMG acquired Danish operator Mermaid Gaming in exchange for a 15% stake in the company valued at £1.5m ahead of the market also opening at the beginning of next year. Mermaid runs the annual Danish Online Poker Championships.
Chilipoker founder and CEO Alexandre Dreyfus, is also known to be eyeing the newly regulating Spanish market and told eGaming Review the company would whitelabel its site “with someone who is applying for their own brand”. The mystery partner is known to have worked with Chili in the past.
Chilipoker will effectively license its brand, while the partner, known not to be Spanish, will run its website. “It is a way to have a European brand present in France and Spain,” added Dreyfus. Chili is also said to be close to entering the Italian market with a similar venture. Dreyfus also admitted to eGR he is in final discussions with an unknown party to sell his poquer.es Spanish site.
Several sources have also indicated to eGR that Caradepoker, one of Playtech’s largest iPoker licencees, is for sale.
Meanwhile Paddy Power, that has had a Spanish language site for two years, is thought to be considering several avenues in which to exploit next year’s market opening. Its B2B deal with PMU in France, that helped boost its online operations rise by 33% year-on-year between 1 July and 14 November, was described by CFO Jack Massey, as a “calling card” for similar future deals across regulated and newly regulating markets. It is also considering a joint venture deal with a local partner, Spanish sources have old eGR.
“Given our approach to regulated and newly regulating markets we will pursue a licence,” Massey told eGR. “Our current Spanish language site is very small and contributes, alongside other non UK, Ireland and Australia sites, less than 1% of our overall online revenue. We expect to pay a six, not seven figure sum [to enter the Spanish market],” he added.