by Mario Alfonsi | Published on May 14, 2012 | Updated on May 14, 2012For close to a year now, Spanish online poker players have awaited the beginning of the regulatory scheme that their government was planning to put into place. Now, a date for the beginning of the new era in Spanish poker is set to begin on June 1st, when a newly regulated online poker market will be opened in the country.The new framework won’t just be instantly formed overnight, however. It’s expected that licenses will be given out to operators over the course of the month of June, with more sites joining in the weeks and months to follow. Over 60 different operators have submitted applications to be a part of the Spanish online poker market, including major players like PokerStars, 888.com, and bwin.party.When the regulations first kick in, players in Spain will be treated to a system of regulation that is now common throughout Europe. Like in France and Italy, licensed operators will have to create sites specifically – and exclusively – for Spanish players. This will segregate players from Spain from international playing pools on “.es” websites.However, the Spanish regulations have some interesting provisions that could change this situation in the near future. Starting in 2013, there is the possibility that these Spanish sites would also welcome players from other jurisdictions inside the European Union – and perhaps around the world. However, even if this expansion were to take place, it would only make Spanish sites available in nations where online gambling is considered legal.June 1 is an important date in this process for another reason, too. While it’s the date when Spain will begin offering licenses, it’s also the date when unlicensed operators will no longer be permitted to offer services to Spanish players. While some operators are hanging around June in the hopes of receiving a license, others – such as Bodog – have already left prior to the official deadline.
