Spanish online gambling operators react to Adelson opposition

Las Vegas land gambling tycoon Sheldon Adelson’s attempt to influence Spanish politicians to shelve legalised online gambling in Spain has provoked a strong reaction from the online gambling trade association in the country, JDigital.

The trade body accuses Adelson of making claims that are not backed by factual data, particularly those that allege that internet gambling in Spain produces “no real benefit” and “miniscule” tax revenue, and his assertion that land casinos are the only effective way to create employment in the gambling industry.

Launching his attack on the Adelson claims this week, JDigital spokesman Miguel Ferrer told the publication El Confidencial that online gambling companies had invested considerable amounts of money in Spain, and that advertising and marketing investments alone totalled over Euro 150 million since the market opened in June 2012.

Ferrer pointed to regulatory body DGOJ numbers showing that tax revenues from online gambling in Spain reached Euro 133 million last year, whilst an additional Euro 150 million had been wrung from major foreign internet gambling companies keen to enter the market through retrospective taxation levied on licence applicants by Spain’s Ministry of Finance.

JDigital warned that interference with the already established regulated online gambling sector could have a negative impact on employment prospects, advertising and tax revenues in Spain.

Related and similar