Spain's Gambling Authority Imposes $74 Million in Penalties on Operators
The Spanish Ministry of Consumer Affairs (MCA) recently penalized around 30 online gaming operators, totaling over €71 million (US$76 million) in the first half of the year. These fines, issued by the General Directorate of Gambling Regulation (DGOJ), were given for "serious" or "very serious" violations.
Of the 30 disciplinary measures reported, 15 were determined to be very serious, carrying penalties up to €5 million (US$5.35 million). These fines make up most of the total sum charged by the MCA. Additionally, in 14 of these cases, operators were barred from conducting business for two years.
These very serious violations usually involve foreign online gambling operators who lack a Spanish license and attempt to run their operations without being traced by the authorities. Such operators include Altacore, Versus Odds, Favorit United, Ryker, Techoptions Group, and AK Global. All of these businesses were without the necessary authorization and were thus punished with the maximum penalty.
Notable Violations
There were also instances of what the DGOJ deemed as "serious" infractions, with smaller fines imposed on operators who have a license in Spain but have broken certain gaming regulations. Among these companies are Codere, Bet365, and Marathonbet.
Codere was fined €125,000 (US$133,787) for letting some players enhance their deposit limits before the three-month ban that is currently being enforced by the DGOJ. This new stipulation was added in the latest round of Spanish gambling law changes. Additionally, Codere permitted a handful of users to bet without having completed mandatory Customer Due Diligence (KYC) checks. Codere's fine was eventually cut down to €75,000 (US$80,272).
Marathonbet was also subject to a €100,000 (US$107,030) fine, though this figure was later reduced to €65,000 (US$69,569) after reaching an agreement with the DGOJ. The British company was found to be using a roulette game supplier that had not been approved by the regulator.
Bet365, on the other hand, was fined a meager €10,000 (US$10,703) for awarding bonuses to players who did not meet responsible gambling standards.
A Cleaner Spanish iGaming Landscape?
This year, the MCA punished 30 operators compared to 53 in the same time frame last year, and the total amount of fines dropped by €13 million (US$13,913). However, the actual amount collected from these fines is likely to be significantly less. It's challenging, if not impossible, for the government to force foreign gaming operators to pay these penalties, and the DGOJ has faced issues with this in the past.
The DGOJ typically targets operators without a license, many of which are based in Curacao. Known for its loose gaming regulations and licensing process in the past, Curacao is now trying to become a more respectable gambling license territory. Despite attempts at reform, this will only affect the upcoming regulatory landscape, not what transpired previously.
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