The Spanish online gaming industry is currently considered by many as a test market, as it has different characteristics when compared to European regulated markets with different laws and procedures.

The regulation of the Spanish market started approximately a year and a half ago, so this is technically still an early-stage market with a model open to successive improvement and changes. As at October 2013, there are 51 licensed operators though not all of these have actually launched their products. These operators are holding back to review the best possible scenarios and instead focus on higher anticipated return products and regions. Consequently, Spain is currently operating a mixture of:

• International Operators with a view to open a Spanish brand;
• National Land Base Operators: Bingo, Casino, Poker and Slot machine Operators;
• Media Communication Groups with a view to enter the online gaming market.

Many expect that the gaming sector will undergo some change in the upcoming months, namely:

• Partnership between Operators, with the objective to reduce CapEx and thus exploit mutually competitive advantages;
• New products regulation, such as Betting Exchanges and Online Slots;
• Increased competition between Operators granted a National License, and those granted a Regional License;
• A gradual expansion in product variety across land-based outlets such as kiosks, restaurants and betting shops;
• Media agencies offering new products for online gaming.

Seeing as most of the Spanish operators have had to build their online offering effectively from the ground up, this has resulted in a number of unforeseen challenges that have contributed to delays in launch, and subsequent losses. One of the most significant challenges was the first-time integration between various gaming platforms, including Mediatech, BetWare, Microgaming and Playtech, which in some cases are still not working properly together. Conversely, most of the international operators have had significant integration experience and thus did not experience such issues.

Affiliate revenue is also a significant contributor to the Spanish operators. A NetRefer report on the state of the Spanish Market estimates that affiliates contribute as much as 44% to operator turnover. This figure could well increase in the near future as more operators seek to introduce attractive affiliate partner programs.

With regards to regulation, the Spanish Authorities (DGOJ) are using all the methods at their disposal to shut down illegal gaming sites, but this is not an easy task as it is impacted by the Laws on International Legislation and European Environment. The Ministry of Economy’s “Agencia Tributaria” department, has a remit to regulate and control revenue collection, and is increasingly more stringent with Operators, Players and all intermediate channels such as affiliates, super-affiliates and representatives.

For more information on the state of Spanish legislation, and how NetRefer can help operators regulate their affiliate invoicing and taxation, kindly contact your NetRefer account manager or come meet us at BAC later this month.

NetRefer, the leading provider of performance marketing software has been awarded Gold Partner status by Microsoft in “Application Development Competency”. This is in recognition of the highest level of expertise that NetRefer has achieved in Microsoft web application development technologies.

“This Gold Partner status is a reflection of our commitment to provide a cutting-edge performance marketing platform coupled with an outstanding customer service. It is a tribute to the passion and smart work of NetRefer’s R&D & IT teams to ensure a cutting-edge architecture and quality code are the primary drivers behind our platform,” stated Johan Zammit, CTO & Chief Product Officer at NetRefer. He added: “Our clients demand the best performance marketing platform on the market and the Gold Partner status is another milestone in achieving this.”

Through a closer partnership with Microsoft, NetRefer can take advantage of the many enterprise software and architectural facilities that Microsoft’s dedicated Services and Advisory Team provide on a periodic basis. This enables NetRefer to achieve better efficiency in all aspects of research and development.

Additionally as Microsoft Gold Partner, NetRefer has access to Microsoft’s resources and support including access to exclusive online content enabling the implementation of the ‘Microsoft Best Practice’ approach. This in turn gives NetRefer clients the assurance that their performance marketing platform is stable, reliable and secure whilst utilizing the latest cutting-edge technologies on the market.

Very few enterprise software suppliers qualify as Microsoft Gold Partners, as every Gold partner undergoes a thorough evaluation including:

•     Staff members passing Microsoft certification exams
•     Development processes complying with the latest Microsoft development guidelines
•     Passing the Microsoft licensing assessment
•     Receiving significant positive feedback from existing clients

NetRefer would like to thank all clients for their invaluable contribution to achieving this status, and also show appreciation to the team that powers NetRefer. Thank you for your continuous support!

About NetRefer:

NetRefer is a leading provider of Affiliate Marketing Software. NetRefer is capable of handling the whole affiliate marketing life cycle from affiliate CRM, media serving, tracking, comprehensive reporting, finance & rewards management and automated payments to affiliates.

NetRefer provides the most complete and trusted affiliate marketing software in industries such as iGaming, Forex, Option Trading and other verticals. The unrivalled features list, cutting edge technology coupled with professional account management and client support makes it the ideal performance marketing platform.

NetRefer has been elected the Best Affiliate Software Provider in 2010, and the Affiliate Software Of The Year for 2011 and 2012, accompanied by the Seal of e-Excellence and the International Business awards 2013.

For more information about NetRefer please contact us on sales(at)netrefer(dot)com or on  +356 2767 3337, or visit our website https://netrefer.com.