According to an announcement made by deputy general director Juan Carlos Alfonso Rubio last week, the legislation legalising online gambling in Spain was approved a few months ago however last week Government confirmed that Spain would now commence issuing online gambling licences as from 1st January 2012. Spain is the newest European member state to permit online gambling activities to be offered in the country.

Despite the high gambling tax rate (25% gross profits tax and one of the highest to be applied in the EU) foreign online gambling companies such as Rank Plc. and Ladbrokes have already expressed an interest in making their mark in Spain.