Spanish regulator to hold public slots meeting
DGOJ schedules meeting for 29 April to discuss slots and exchange timescale and new licensing window
The Spanish regulator has scheduled a public meeting for next week in which it is expected to give operators more clarity regarding the impending implementation of slots and exchange betting.
The meeting will take place in Madrid on Tuesday 29 April with the Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ) set to discuss feedback received following last month’s legislative consultation exercise.
Spanish-licensed operators and network providers have been invited to attend the meeting at the offices of the Taxes Ministry where it is believed the regulator will also shed more light on the timescale involved in the introduction of the new products.
Previous industry estimates suggested slots and exchange betting would go live in the country during Q4 2014 while the regulator would also use the process to re-open the licensing window for the first time since the market opened in June 2012.
DLA Piper gaming lawyer Albert Agustinoy told eGaming Review the regulator should still be on course for Q4 implementation with the regulator arranging the meeting to inform operators of the process involved.
“I think that the DGOJ will use the meeting to provide more detail on the requirements and timelines connected with the launching of the new games as well as the re-opening of the market,” Agustinoy said.
“In this respect, I think that the regulator is still committed to 2014 for having both processes completed,” he added.
Spain’s long-awaited online slots regulation was published last month and contained a strict set of customer protection guidelines which operators must adhere to.
It is hoped that a widening of the regulated product range will help reduce the size of Spain’s black market with an eGR Insights’ survey recently revealing more than a third of revenues were going through unlicensed sites.
However the decision to implement online slots has angered the land-based industry with Alejandro Landaluce, director general of Spanish Gaming Business Council, having warned its introduction would cause “enormous damage” to offline establishments.