To dispel all doubts about whether the national gambling regulator of Spain, Alejo, would indeed enforce the licenses to the deserving applicants, the home affairs ministry reconfirmed this decision. The doubts had arisen about the likelihood of the regulations not coming into force because there had been changes in the staff and the previous deadline had been extended as well. Moreover, the number of applications had been colossal – nearly 59 applications had been obtained. But, with this announcement, two things became clear: the online services could begin at once and in-play betting would be discouraged. Incidentally, this speculation about the Spanish gambling regulator not being able to deliver his promise rose from the fact that the CEO of 888 Holdings had earlier made a statement to that effect after he had returned from Madrid. He had visited Madrid to assess the progress and he came to the conclusion that the Spanish regulator may need some more time to execute this move. The CEO, Mattingley, nevertheless had been visibly impressed by the regulatory body’s reaction and promptness to incorporate all the changes and ideas suggested to them.
Most European operators running online casinos have also applied for these licenses and hope to achieve them soon enough. In fact, as the deadline keeps getting stretched, they are losing out. At the same time, they have to bear substantial expenses to keep their operations in a state of readiness so that as soon as they obtain the license, they can begin to operate. So, this statement by Mattingley has further added to their frustration. They are now monitoring the prevailing situation to understand in which direction the regulations are likely to move. They are not sure about how much credibility they can attach to the Spanish government’s assurance. Side by side, another cause of concern for these operators has been the growing number of court cases involving these online gambling operators. They fear that local operators might be able to get some kind of injunction to delay the process. For instance, the local Spanish group called Codere has obtained injunctions against foreign gambling operators. In one case, the Madrid Commercial Court decided against Sportingbet. This company is still fighting this case and has applied for a legal permit under the gambling laws of the country. On the basis of meetings with regulators, it hopes to get its license shortly.
Launch of new Microgaming Flash Games
Microgaming, a leading software provider for the online casinos, has recently launched four new games using Flash technology. This will give players a super opportunity to win bigger payouts and enjoy top-class entertainment. These four games are Tiger v Bear Siberian Standoff, Karate Pig, Arctic Fortune, and Mystique Grove. All these are video slots. The Arctic Fortune is based on a Nordic fantasy theme and comes with many bonus features like free spins, multipliers, and wilds. The graphics are stunning and the animations exquisite. Another fantasy-themed game with five reels is the Mystique Grove. The Tiger v Siberian Standoff has 25 pay lines and five reels. Players can experience great slot actions when they choose either of the two characters and prepare them for battle against each other. The Karate Pig has a kung-fu theme and great graphics.