Last week, the draft online gambling legislation for Spain was approved by the country’s cabinet and is set to be presented before congress on Tuesday.
Unfortunately, the bill is being met with some resistance. The Spanish professional football league has recently looked at the draft law and remarked on the bill’s disregard for the sport. Under the current gaming laws, the league receives revenue from the country’s lottery, but the new online gambling law does not address the issue.
The Remote Gambling Association is always unsure about the viability of Spain’s proposed tax scheme. The draft law suggests a turnover tax be used, which is similar to a sales tax. The RGA proposes that Spain adopt a gross profits tax, which would optimize the tax revenue earned by the country.
There is no word yet on whether or not the bill will be revised to suit the RGA’s preferences. The authority aims to create healthy competition and economics in online gambling markets across Europe, and only has Spain’s best interests in mind.
If Spain’s draft is approved by Congress, it will move on to a Senate hearing, which will take place sometime over the summer. If all goes according to plan, Spain could have legalized and regulated online gambling by the end of 2011.
