In order for this aim to become reality, the regulation has already been drafted by the Consejería de Hacienda (Treasury Department), and it is now under consideration by the Consejo de Estado (Council of State), which is why the region is hopeful that legalised betting can be introduced in 2006. Like Madrid, three other regional governments are also working on introducing legalised betting – Aragón, Catalonia and the Basque Country. Legalised betting will be possible on specific authorised premises in the present gaming establishments – bingo halls, casinos and gaming arcades – providing they have sufficient space. Depending on where the bets are to be made, they could be divided into internal or external. Furthermore, three different types of bets are included: totaliser, bets against the house and non-banking bets. The totaliser bets are those in which the amount that has been bet is distributed among the winners, with the prize base being no less than 70 percent of the total amount placed. In bets against the house, the player places the bet and the prize is calculated by multiplying the amount of the forecast winnings by the coefficient ratified by the company in advance. Finally, in the non-banking bets, the company acts as intermediary and guarantor for the amounts bet when the players play against each other.

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