Spanish licensing process opens
Opening comes ahead of 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.
As suggested in the original legislation first published in May and confirmed by eGR sources this week, those operators who have neglected to pay back taxes from 28 May run the risk of being ignored when licence applications are considered by Spanish authorities.
Yesterday saw 10 decrees issued by the Spanish ministry of finance and economy, six concerning casino games and four for sports betting.
The news comes as Spanish borrowing costs rise amid fears of a sovereign bailout, with reports in the Washington Post indicating that the country was forced to pay close to 7% on new 10-year bonds.