Spanish regulatory body reopens license applications for third time

The Spanish regulatory body Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ) has reopened the application process for licenses for the third time since new gambling laws were introduced in 2011.

The DGOJ noted that this process will be open for a full year, closing on 16 December 2018, and comes at a time when the industry in Spain is experiencing considerable growth.

For instance, the three-month period ending ending on 30 September saw the regulated gambling market in Spain generate revenue of €140.5 million, a 37.3% increase when compared to the same period in 2016.

In a statement published on its website, the DGOJ said: “The publication of the call, the third since the state online gaming market was regulated in 2011, opens up the possibility for entities interested in offering games through electronic, telematic or interactive channels in Spain to develop this offer through the request of corresponding licenses.

“The proper functioning of the regulated online gaming market is fundamental to ensure that gaming activity is sustainable and compatible with social welfare, making it possible to channel it into an adequate legal framework and with all the guarantees that regulation establishes for consumers.

“The new opening, together with the improvement of competitiveness and the level of protection through the regulatory framework, is essential to achieve the above, by allowing operators of proven probity and viability to access the Spanish market, complementing the existing offer and strengthening the constant dynamics of technological innovation characteristic of this environment.”