2011 was a year of significant events and achievements in the poker world. Phil Ivey faced legal troubles, while players like Ben Lamb and Anton Makiyevskiy made notable strides.
The moratorium on the sanctioning regime of the Spanish Gambling Law has been extended by 6 months, raising concerns about potential legal modifications and the impact on gambling operators. The extension is included in the Real Decreto 20/2011 of 30 December, which contains urgent measures in budgetary, tax and financial matters for the correction of the public deficit.
Witness the intense poker showdown between Raúl Mestre and Vicky Coren. Mestre's bluffing skills secured him the IFP World Championship title.
As the moratorium on the sanctioning regime for online poker in Spain is set to expire, the industry awaits a decision from the new government. The first license for online poker has not yet been granted, and the new government is expected to decide on extending the moratorium by December 30, 2011.
As Spain's online poker regulation deadline approaches, major poker rooms are preparing for significant changes. bwin.party and PokerStars are ready to operate from day one, while others like 888 and GTECH G2 are also positioning themselves. The liquidity factor and regulatory challenges from France add to the complexity.
Unibet has announced it will continue operating in Spain despite earlier plans to cease activities. The company will keep its services active until the new licensing regime is fully implemented.
Alex4ever, a professor at EducaPoker, finished 7th in the WPT Venice tournament, winning 20,425€. He was the only Spanish player competing.
Alex4ever, the sole Spanish participant in the WPT Venice tournament, started Day 3 in 9th place out of 40 players. Follow his journey on Twitter @AlexSnX.
The process of migrating poker rooms to the new .es regulated market in Spain is fraught with uncertainty. Poker-Red sent an email to nine poker rooms seeking clarification on the migration process, but received vague responses. The article also discusses the potential lack of affiliate choice for Spanish users.