The Resolution of the Spanish regulator, known as Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego, has been published by the official Spanish Gazette. It agrees to authorise the international liquidity system in relation to online poker playing. To put it in simpler terms, this means that any player bets are made not just in a national context but in multiple other countries too. Therefore, the game becomes an international one.
Once the Resolution comes into effect, any operators who hold the corresponding Spanish gaming licences will be able to provide online poker to specific non-residents within Spain. In this instance, they will have the chance to offer poker tables as well as tournaments to players from the signatory jurisdictions. Signed in Rome on July 6, 2017, the Liquidity Sharing Agreement has had signatures from Spain’s neighbours Portugal and France, as well as Italy.
The conditions by which the operators must subject the possibility of marketing online poker are outlined within said Resolution. Furthermore, the modifications that need to be made to the current framework as far as technical and control issues are concerned are also pinpointed within. Necessary arrangements need to be made in order to bring everything up to the Resolution standards.
The international liquidity regulation, which incorporates players from other jurisdictions within safe environments, is expected to help strengthen the social sustainability of online gaming. Online poker is an area that is especially focused on, with an increase in the variety and innovation of the game and also of the options open to its players.
Italy and Portugal Begin Making Moves
The other countries involved in this movement have also been putting final tests and processes to work. The Italian government for example, is currently going through the motions of conducting its own verification process in relation to this. This is believed to be something of a technical nature to be compatible with the aforementioned Resolution conditions. It’s been a bit more of a rocky road for Italy though, with some politicians being concerned about money laundering. Others, such as the more domestic gaming operators have claimed that sites such as Poker Stars will be able to reap all of the benefits from such an agreement.
It was these comments that led many to believe that Italy would back out of the signed Resolution. However, Italy’s Undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy, Pier Paolo Baretta has specifically said that the agreement will be honoured.
There has been little said by the Portuguese regulatory body, Serviço Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos do Turismo de Portugal (SRIJ) relating to the matter. The only nod in their direction has been from the Poker Stars director of poker innovation and operations. Speaking with Pokerfuse, Severin Rasset said that the company is “hopeful for a Q2 launch” of cross-border action with Portugal.
It’s not only EU countries that have been able to sign the Resolution agreement either. Players from as far afield as New Zealand and Chile have also reported that they have been able to join the liquidity pool. And this has been possible due to signing up via the Poker Stars Spanish-licensed platform.
