Informed sources indicate that the Madrid process is being delayed because there are problems in obtaining formal approval for the betting tickets issued by some of the machines. Euskadi, on the other hand, elaborated its law on sporting and social betting in May 2005 and it has taken two years to reach the stage of calling for tenders for the award of the three licences, which happened on May 2. The closing date for presentation of the proposals will be July 2 and the decision will be announced on November 2. The only group that has publicly indicated its intention to bid is Euskal Kirol Apostuak (EKA), which after five years without income has already invested five million Euros in applying for one of the three licences to be awarded by the autonomous Government of Vitoria. Each licence gives the right to open 25 betting premises and to install 500 machines in bars and cafeterias. There will be no problems in locating the first 1,500 machines in the bars, because in the Basque Country there are 15,000 registered catering establishments, more than in the whole of some European countries.

Printer friendly version

Email this article to a friend

Bookmark this

---