Spain eyes global poker liquidity in 2014
Country's regulator outlines plans to boost poker market with introduction of international networks on dot.es sites
Spanish regulator Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ) has stated its desire to introduce global liquidity to poker to dot.es domains by the middle of 2014.
Recently installed DGOJ president Carlos Hernandez told Poker-Red.com he is working towards the goal of international poker liquidity in order to boost a vertical which is domestically dominated by Pokerstars and 888Poker.
“We remain quite favourable to the international liquidity. I say this because yes there are doubts whether the change of CEO has [meant] a rethinking about it. There has not been,” Hernandez said.
“Hopefully if all goes well we [could] have it even before the middle of next year,” he added.
A liquidity sharing deal with Italy was thought to be in the pipeline for Spain and while Hernandez said talks between the two countries continue, his preference is for a wider reaching model incorporating countries from regions such as Latin America.
Spanish gaming consultant Eduardo Morales Hermo of Intelligent Gaming told eGaming Review that implementation during 2014 is possible should the regulator be able to solve some of the technical problems related to such a move.
“This isn’t just about connecting networks, it’s about ensuring that all players can compete on equal terms and play by the same rules,” Hermo said.
Currently, not all regulated and dot.com rules are harmonised. For instance, in the dot.com environment there are no limits on deposits or cash game and tournament stakes whereas other jurisdictions have restrictions.
“In Spain you can’t deposit more than 3,000 a month, without going for a limit increase test, so the problem is technical but if they can co-ordinate and make the rules the same then a timeframe of six months is possible as the DGOJ will have been working on this for some time,” Hermo said.
“But the timeframe for this to happen depends on being able to achieve a solution to the different issues that have to be taken into consideration.”
The DGOJ was not available for comment at the time of writing.