by Renee Israel
Top UK-based bookmaker Ladbrokes has signed a deal with software provider
Microgaming that will see it powering the bookmaker's online casino and poker
operations in Denmark and Spain.
The deal will see Ladbrokes' Danish and Spanish operations offering
Microgaming's top quality software and giving its players access to a huge suite
of casino games through the download and Flash versions of the software.
Ladbrokes' Danish site and its Spanish-facing site, LBApuestas are expected
to go live in January 2012 once both markets have been licensed. Microgaming's
poker software will also be available so that Ladbrokes' Danish and Spanish
operations will be able to benefit from the online casino and poker software
from the provider.
"We have had a long and successful relationship with Ladbrokes and are
delighted to be entering these two exciting markets with it," commented Andy
Clucas, Microgaming's Head of Business Development. "Once granted a license,
Ladbrokes will be able to offer the most competitive range of products."
Ladbrokes also discussed its satisfaction with the deal and praised the
strong relationship that the bookmaker has with the software provider.
Adam Greenblatt, Corporate and Strategic Development Director for Ladbrokes
said, "We have a strong relationship with Microgaming and our players have
always reacted well to its products."
"We are pleased to be working with it as we target new licenses in Spain and
Denmark, which are markets familiar to Ladbrokes already."
Spain Establishing Online Gambling Framework
Spain looks to be the next European country to establish an online gambling
regulatory framework. The process was waiting on the Spanish Cabinet's approval
of the laws for licensing and technical requirements for online gambling. Now
that this has been approved, the target date of January 2012, is looking
possible.
Online casino operators are now able to apply for licenses in Spain and this
is what Ladbrokes has done. The UK bookmaker is ready to go live with its
Spanish site as soon as the license has been approved.
The Spanish online gambling trade association, AEDAPI is satisfied with this
move; however it has also revealed some potential difficulties for operators in
the Spanish market. AEDAPI has suggested that the 25% tax rate on online
gambling operators' net income and the temporary exclusion of some forms of
gambling will make it difficult for operators to make profits in the Spanish
market. An AEDAPI statement read, "In this sense, we believe there is still much
work to be done and many ways to improve gambling laws for the Spanish market."
