The Spanish online betting market, which is expected to generate $743 million in revenues this year, will keep on growing at rapid pace in the coming years, making necessary to have a law that regulates internet gambling.
According to Nielsen Netratings, Spain is the country that experienced the largest online betting expansion, with the number of players grown a 154 per cent between September 2004 and September 2005.
Another research firm, Datamonitor, said a total of 442,500 Spanish players bet through the internet, five times more than in 2000.
“Fear does not exist any more. If anyone has concerns on playing online is because he does not feel secure of Internet in general, not because of any game in particular”, commented Sacha Michaud, Director of Betfair in Spain.
The perception of the players has changed, but legislation remains the same and only the Loterias y Apuestas del Estado has currently the right to operate internet games.
Europer, an association of gaming machines operators, criticized the lack of regulation for online gambling and asked the Spanish Government to administer and tax mobile and internet betting as it does with the more traditional gambling sector.
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