Spanish online sector criticizes delay in the issuance of licenses

Sources of the online gaming operators consider that the government is trying to benefit the Loterías (LAE) and the traditional gaming sector because both need time to create online platforms.

PSOE intended to grant the licenses before general elections on November 20, but it couldn’t be possible. All said, it contemplated that the process should be ready at the beginning of the year. However, PP has delayed the process. Sources of the online gaming sector say that the General Gaming Direction, depending on the Ministry of Economy, said at the beginning of March that they would have the licenses this month.

At the end of March, the General Director of Gaming Management, Enrique Alejo González, assured that online gaming licenses would be granted in the deadline planned, “before June”.

The process of issuance of licenses concluded December 14 with around 60 requesting entity. Once the government grants these first online gaming licenses, it will open officially a new market of Internet web pages, which so far has not paid taxes in Spain.

The law asked operators to update with its tax obligations of the last quarters. The socialist government and the PP in the opposition told online operators that those who complied with those premises would regularize their situation with the Finance Ministry. But it didn’t happen. Operators received a letter from the Office of Fight against Fraud, which forces them to much more things.