According to the DGOJ, decrees will be put in place in order to improve player protection measures, look at ways to protect minors, strengthen measures against fraud, money laundering and other criminal activities and enhance the online gaming marketplace.
The new decrees also seek to put in place player protection measures for online gaming which were not present when the government first opened up the market in 2011 and will cover new modes of play that were not present either.
The discussion will also look at mechanisms to strengthen the prevention and fight against fraud within the framework of sports betting or other events such as eSports. It will also be used to clarify the different types of gaming that can be offered under different licenses.
At the same time, the decrees will also address and systematise the framework under which certain games would be commercialized when the regulatory framework is not currently satisfactory. These will include new games such as daily fantasy sports and bets on virtual sports or games played via live casino other than roulette. It will also simplify certain requirements relating to new modes of play for already existing games.
According to the DGOJ, the discussion is also necessary due to the innovative nature of the online gaming market in Spain. The regulatory framework must be sufficiently “agile” so that it can be adapted to face both the current as well as the future reality of the gaming market.
In December President and founder of online gaming association Jdigital, Sacha Michaud, said that around ten new operators are expected to enter the online market now that the DGOJ has published the resolution. According to Jdigital, these “will be added to the 52 that already exist in the Spanish market.”
Michaud explained that “the entry of new operators will mean a greater investment in the market. We estimate an additional €20 million during the next 12 months.”
In Spain, a ministerial decree is a regulation issued by any of the government ministries. Ministerial decrees are produced not only by ministers in affairs relating to their own departments, but also by delegate commissions formed to deal with matters that affect several ministries.
Source: GMB / G3 Newswire
