The governing council of the Spanish province of Andalusia recently approved new gambling regulations for the region that sees sports betting legalized and ending its status as the only community in Spain not to permit this activity.
The new regulations came into force last week following publication in the Official Gazette and applies to land-based as well as online sports betting. However, it excludes horse and greyhound racing.
According to local media reports, sports betting should raise approximately €1.65 million in additional tax revenue.
The Andalusia Gambling Regulations cover gaming activities that are conducted in this second largest and most populated territory of the autonomous communities in Spain.
According to G3 Newswire, the new regulations will affect both online gaming and land-based sports betting with Spanish online gaming rules, which have been in effect since the year 2011 being enhanced by the new rules.
Online sports betting, with specific gambling venues such as casinos, slot parlors, bingo halls and betting shops are also permitted to offer such facilities while the authority to offer sports betting will not be allowed in non-gaming venues such as bars and hotels.
The new regulations will also see several other changes to the local gaming market which include stricter identity controls, age verification and player protection measures that include but are not limited to self-exclusion programs.
Gaming tax revenue from casinos, slot and bingo machines reportedly stood at €1,735.24 million in 2015 and it is expected that the new regulations will result in gaming tax revenue doubling.