Spain is the focus of our online casino news

In spite of the financial problems currently engulfing the country, Spain is the centre of attraction for some of the leading online casino operators at the moment. Our online casino news this month features the imminent announcement of the first wave of internet gambling licences to be awarded in Spain. With reports last week of 888 Holdings having agreed to pay the Spanish government 8.7 million euros in back taxes ahead of expectations of being amongst the first e-gaming licence holders, we now hear that Sportingbet and Bwin Party have also done similar deals and between the three of them have swelled the Spanish government’s coffers by a substantial 58.7 million euros. All these online casino operators clearly expect Spain to provide opportunities for revenue growth in the near future, and will be hoping that Spanish gamblers will quickly discover the thrill of playing casino games online. Incidently, Sportingbet are also reported to be expecting a £10 million boost in their profits as a result of a new law in Australia which will allow in-play gambling during sporting events. Meanwhile closer to home, it appears that the British government’s proposals to tax offshore online casino operators who accept bets from gamblers in Britain are about to be challenged in the courts by the Gibraltar Betting and Gaming Association. This is of course significant because many of the major online casino operators are registered and licenced in Gibraltar, and they will no doubt be hoping that another budget u-turn is in the offing. Away from online casino news another gambling, or investment vehicle depending on how you look at it, has just passed its 55th birthday. Premium Bonds were introduced by Harold Macmillan way back in 1967 and have apparently paid out £13.9 billion since that first draw, and it is thought that 22 million people now own Premium Bonds.