Spanish regulator issues draft bingo amendments
Operators permitted to offer more variants of the game " regulator must be notified of any changes.
Spanish regulatory authority the Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ) has released draft legislation which proposes to offer operators more freedom in their bingo offerings.
Under the new proposals, which the DGOJ says would be introduced “In order to eliminate anticompetitive restraints,” operators would be permitted to go beyond the 90, 80 and 75 variants of the game providing they make the regulator aware of any changes they wish to make.
Operators would also be permitted to replace numbers on bingo cards with alternative symbols, thus giving them greater control to customise their offering.
The announcement comes as licensees in the Italian egaming market prepare for changes to their own bingo regulations, whereby operators would have the opportunity to provide an offering comparable to that available on dot.com sites. These changes are not expected to come into force before the summer, with a consultation period ongoing until 22 February.
The DGOJ also confirmed earlier this month that consultations have begun with licensed operators with a view to regulating online slots later this year. It is also consulting with the Spanish government on the matter, as well as consumer groups, while continuing to consider broadening the range of events on which Spanish citizens are permitted to bet.
Italian, Spanish, French and Portuguese regulators have been in conversation over common egaming principles, setting up an informal association in December which will see the quartet discuss regulatory and technical standards, among other matters.
In addition to the bingo modifications, the latest draft also contains proposals to allow operators to expand the range of sporting events on which they offer bets. At present they are limited to those listed by the DGOJ, but under the new proposals they would be permitted to offer bets on sports or sporting events not named by the regulator.
Some restrictions would remain in place, however, namely operators would be unable to offer betting on events which “Violate the dignity, the right to honor, personal and family privacy and image, [or are] against the rights of youth and children, or against any right or freedom recognized constitutionally.”
Furthermore, bets cannot be offered on “Events whose outcome cannot enjoy sufficient certainty for possible accreditation by an impartial third party” or those where there is insufficient protection against operators influencing event organisers.
The loosening of restrictions is in contrast to recent developments in France, where regulatory body ARJEL updated the list of events on which operators are banned from offering bets earlier this month.