Spain opening faces possible delay, sources say
62 operators apply for egaming licence in Spain but sheer volume of paperwork needed to process applications could scupper 1 January launch, eGR understands.
A total of 62 operators are known to have applied for an egaming licence in the newly regulating Spanish market, but the sheer volume of paperwork needed to process applications could scupper a 1 January launch, eGaming Review understands.
A local source told eGR there have been more than 300 licence applications “ including individual licences for each game in each vertical “ handed into the Spanish regulator so far with 62 separate operators involved, half of them Spanish companies.
Until now Spanish regulator Juan Carlos Alfonso has met every deadline in the run up to the scheduled market opening of 1 January next year however, this could now be under threat due to the lack of time and manpower needed to process more than an estimated 600kg of documentation.
The source said that some documents have been supplied in English or in poorly translated Spanish, while others have not been properly completed. “Ideally the regulator wants to announce a list of successful applicants all at the same time but with many applications either not correctly completed from some companies and a week left before the holidays this may not happen.
“He is, however, still thinking of issuing licences before the new government takes possession (on Christmas Eve). If he does that then the licences will be pending to be confirmed once all the application files are revised thoroughly,” he added.
Successful applicants were expected to dicover whether or not they have been granted a provisional licence next week, however Alfonso is now known to be considering one of three options in the rush for operators to begin offering their services in a fortnight’s time.
According to a number of sources in Spain Alfonso could either rubberstamp every application and revisit their compliance status as soon as is physically possible; grant licences to several larger local and private foreign operators that are known to be compliant and that have provided comprehensive documentation; or seek a three to six month extension to the existing transitionary period to allow dot.com operators to continue advertising and offering their services without fear of prosecution.
The latter option however, is thought to be the least likely as this would require a decree law to be put in place with the “blessing” of the country’s new conservative government that holds its first meeting next Thursday. With other more pressing economic priorities new egaming legislation is also not expected to feature high on its initial agenda.
Alfonso is also faced with pressure from several competing parties. Powerful private operators including PokerStars and Bwin are known to be pushing the regulator to launch as soon as possible as they have extensive marketing and advertising plans ready to be unveiled the moment the market opens.
Meanwhile, many large local land-based operators are pushing for a delay in proceedings concerned that foreign operators would have an unfair four to five month headstart if the market opened in the next few weeks. Not only that, Alfonso also faces the prospect of working with and being under the control of a new Minister following the voting in of a new government in November.
Local sources however are confident he will make the right decision with one saying: “Until now the regulator has hit every deadline. Based on this precedent there is no reason why this [1 January opening] won’t happen.”