The approval process has been meticulous and much slower than the heads of both companies had expected, and even after submitting exhaustive documentation in order to be selected for one of the three licences, it has still been necessary to carry out an enormous technological investigation. They were hoping to be able to start their operations with the European Cup and continue with the Olympic Games, but in the end when they do start, they will only be taking bets on the results of football matches. "Which is what the majority of people know", commented an Ekasa manager yesterday. The Kirol Jokoa company announced yesterday that it will open its first premises in the cities of Éibar, Tolosa, Irun and Vitoria. For its part Kirol Jokoa will install its betting machines in various hotel and catering establishments at the same time as opening its own premises in San Sebastian, Bilbao, Barakaldo, Santurtzi, Durango and Guernica. The premises will be equipped with large screens on which will be broadcast not only sporting events but also the betting predictions and the indicators associated with each prediction. With this equipment it is hoped that the people who are betting become immersed in the gaming and enjoy the match or the race in real time as happens with such traditional sports as Pelota. The third licensee Garaipen Victoria Apostuak, announced through its Marketing Director, Emma Mateos, that the approval process for its machines will soon be complete. In any case, everyone agrees that this kind of business should be considered as an alternative form of leisure to be conducted in meeting places where "people can meet, study the predictions and place their bets, it should be a medium for fun rather than just a business "transaction", motivated merely by financial gain".

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