The Spanish online gambling market has showed steady growth over in recent years. In 2010, the online gambling industry in Spain totaled €315 million in profits, surpassing the previous year by 33% and the numbers are getting larger for 2011.
The value of the market is obvious, and we thinks it’s important that any online gambling affiliate hoping to enter the Spanish market learns and understands the legislation and the challenges involved thoroughly.
The Big Do’s and Don’ts in España
The process of regulating the Spanish online gambling market started in 2007, after a long battle against bureocracy it was only until 2011 that the expectations of the Spanish government seemed clear to members of the online gambling industry. In May 2011, legislation was passed in Spain, with the act stating the requisites and conditions be met in order to provide online gambling services in Spain. The list of requirements is extensive, though you can get an in-depth explanation of all the requirements of the Spanish government here.
The key points of the legislation are that online gambling is taxed with rates that vary between 10% and 30%, with the majority of activities being taxed at around 20% of the gambler’s stake. Also, you will need to be licensed by the Spanish government in order to start advertising your business.
No Hablo Español!
Now that you understand the rules of the game, clearly your ability to speak Spanish might seem like a huge problem in order to enter the Spanish online gambling market and succeed in exploiting it. The main concerns around this issue are:
- How to market your site and in a language you do not understand and in a culture that is foreign to you?
- How to communicate with players when you do not know the language to approach them?
However, do not despair because there are plenty of solutions to these small issues. In the globalized world we live in today there is a plethora of remedies for language barriers. It is a real possibility that you could find a translator for your website, which would be a small investment in order to profit from this market. Also, if you worry about accessing information yourself, remember that almost everything is translated to at least English and Spanish nowadays, and if it isn’t, you can either find someone bilingual to help you manage your Spanish audience, and/or start taking classes and use Google Translate in the meantime. The transition will be slow at first, but with the steady growth that the online gambling market is showing in Spain you might want to consider reaching out to the Spaniards before others do.
Learn More
Spanish igaming expert Judd Muir, was the main guest for October’s CAP Webinar titled “Spanish iGaming 101: How Affiliates Can Launch and Succeed in the Spanish Market.” If you missed it don’t worry, the full broadcast is available for CAP members here.
The webinar gave affiliates advice on how to approach the Spanish speaking online gaming market in Latin America and Spain, with greater emphasis on Spain — as that is Muir’s area of expertise. In this article we’ll talk about the Spanish market, referencing the online gambling niche found in Spain, and aim to explain why it is such a great idea for online gambling affiliates to head in that direction.
Are you ready to enter the Spanish market? Have you worked with language barriers while marketing online gambling in other places? Share your stories and learn from others at our forums!