Spanish Gambling Regulator Shakes Up Online Operators with Last-Minute Clarification

The Spanish gambling regulator, Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ), issued a clarification note on May 31, 2012, just one day before the licensing process for online gambling operators in Spain. This note has sent shockwaves through the industry, as it prohibits the automatic transfer of player accounts and funds between .com and .es domains.

The clarification note specifies that funds or credit rights from .com accounts cannot be transferred to .es accounts. This means that players will not be able to automatically transfer their funds or credit rights to the new .es accounts. The note was surprising to many online gambling operators, as it was issued just one day before the licensing process.

With the implementation of the new law just days away, the industry is left speculating about what will happen to players' funds and VIP systems. Operators are overwhelmed by the sudden changes, and it remains unclear how the transition will affect players' funds and VIP statuses. The note also prohibits the transfer of VIP statuses, meaning players will start fresh in the new .es environment.