Gambling and Gaming Regulation by Country | j) Gambling and Gaming Regulation by Country Spain The Group operates online gaming in Spain pursuant to the following online licenses granted by the DGOJ, the Spanish gaming regulator, to CDON: (A) three (3) general licenses for a ten (10) year term which were recently extended for ten (10) additional years (until May 31, 2032): (i) Other Games License, (ii) Betting License and (iii) Contests License; and (B) six (6) singular licenses for: (i) slots (granted until July 30, 2025), (ii) roulette (recently extended until June 22, 2025), (iii) black jack (recently extended until June 22, 2025), (iv) sports betting (granted until April 28, 2025), (v) horse betting (granted until April 28, 2024), and (vi) other bets (granted until April 28, 2025) (collectively, the “CDON Licenses”). Online gambling and other gaming activities are regulated along with other forms of gambling by the Spanish Gaming Law. Royal Decree 1614/2011, of November 14, 2011, implementing the Spanish Gaming Law, in relation to gambling licenses, permits and registers in order to facilitate access by the various operators to the activities covered by the Law also includes the procedure to obtain the authorization of reserved gambling activities. General licenses are granted after the corresponding public tender process and have a duration of ten (10) years, renewable for an identical period, unless they are specifically limited. The operation of each type of gambling included in the scope of each general license requires the granting of a specific operating license, regulated by Article 11 of the Law. Title IV of the Spanish Gaming Law establishes the minimum technical requirements established by the National Gambling Commission that must be met by the technical equipment in terms of sufficient authentication mechanisms to guarantee, inter alia, the following: ● Confidentiality and integrity in communications. ● The identity of the participants, in the case of gambling using telematic and interactive means, as well as the verification, in the terms established by law, that they are not included in the Register provided for in Article 22.1 .b) of this Law. ● The authenticity and calculation of the bets. ● The control of their correct operation. ● Compliance with the subjective prohibitions regulated by Article 6 of this Law. ● Access to the components of the computer system exclusively by authorized personnel or by the National Gambling Commission itself, under the conditions that it may establish. Royal Decree 1613/2011, of November 14, 2011, implementing the Spanish Gaming Law, provides the regulation of gambling in relation to the technical requirements of gambling activities, regulating the requirements of gambling activities carried out through websites. ● In order to market and carry out gambling activities through websites within the scope of the Spanish Gaming Law, operators must create a specific website under the «.es» domain name to which all connections made from Spain or made with a Spanish user account should be directed. ● The operator must establish the systems, mechanisms or agreements that guarantee that all gambling activities carried out from Spain or using a Spanish user account are handled from the operator’s website under the «.es» domain name. In particular, the operator must guarantee that all connections made from Spain or by participants with Spanish user accounts and that were initially directed to websites under a domain other than the “.es,” domain which are owned or controlled by the operator, its parent or its subsidiaries, are redirected to the operator’s specific website under the «.es» domain. ● The operator shall notify the National Gambling Commission of the domain name and the relevant information and data on the website that it uses to carry on its activity, as well as any changes therein. ● Where it deems necessary for the protection of the public interest and of minors, the National Gambling Commission may establish that certain types of gambling be marketed and carried out from an exclusive website created for this purpose by the operator. The Spanish Gaming Law has a decisive impact on sector legislation on advertising, protection of personal data and electronic commerce. These three disciplines include obligations related to the duties of online games, regulated by General Advertising Law 34/1988, of November 11, 1988, and Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of the European Parliament and of The Council of April 27, 2016 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data and on the free movement of such data; Organic Law 3/2018, of December 5, 2018, of Protection of Personal Data and guarantee of Digital Rights; and Law 34/2002, of July 11, 2002, on Services of the Information Society and Electronic Commerce. These measures provide, among others, that betting advertising will only be allowed between 1:00 am and 5:00 a.m. and advertisers using social networks may only broadcast adverts to their followers. The Spanish Cabinet approved Royal Decree-Law 11/2020, of March 31, 2020, whereby urgent supplementary social and economic measures were adopted to respond to the coronavirus health crisis that led to the declaration of the state of emergency by Royal Decree 463/2020, of March 14, 2020. The new measures introduced by this Royal Decree included the updating of consumer protection measures in the context of the exceptional events caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It was also essential to establish certain limitations within the framework of gambling regulations. Therefore, to avoid an increase in online gambling consumption (in particular, casino, bingo and poker games), which can lead to compulsive or even pathological consumption behaviours (specially to protect minors, young adults or people with gambling disorders at a time of greater exposure), restrictions were placed on commercial communications made by gambling operators with a nationwide reach, including entities designated for the marketing of lottery games. However, this particular measure was ultimately repealed by final provision 5.2 of Law 2/2021, of March 29, 2021. Title VII of the Spanish Gaming Law determines the tax regime applicable to gambling activities in compliance with the provisions of the Additional Provision Twenty of Law 56/2007, of December 28, 2007, on measures to promote the information society, the applicable tax rate being: ● State-run lotteries and games: 22% on the tax base. ● Parimutuel sports betting, straight sports betting and sports betting exchange; parimutuel horse betting, straight horse betting and horse betting exchange; and other parimutuel betting, straight betting and betting exchange: 20% on the tax base. ● Raffles: 20% on the tax base, unless they are declared to be of public utility or for charity and are therefore taxed at 5% on the tax base. ● Contests and other games: 20% on the tax base. ● Random number combinations for advertising or promotional purposes: 10% on the tax base. General State Budget Law 6/2018, of July 3, for 2018, introduced a regulatory change in terms of tax benefits by reducing by 50% the tax rates on gambling, included in the Spanish Gaming Law. The objective of this reduction is to transfer tax benefits to the Autonomous Cities of Ceuta and Melilla that are collected in other taxes for them. Since then, both Autonomous Cities have seen a reduction in the tax for online gambling operators, leaving gambling tax at 10%. To qualify for this regime, a company is required to be registered in Ceuta or Melilla and 50% of the employees have to be registered in these territories. Mexico Codere Online operates online gaming in Mexico pursuant to license 2768 granted to LIFO in May 1990, which was renewed for a period of 12 years under Official Letter DGJS/1018/2015, expiring on May 10, 2027, which allows for the operation of 18 retail locations in Mexico and online gaming. By virtue of Official Letter No. DGJS/234/2019, dated March 14, 2019 the Ministry of Interior authorizes Codere Online to operate online gaming through the website: www.codere.mx (the “LIFO License”). Mexico lacks a federal provision for online gambling, and the subsector is regulated under the Federal Law on Games and Drawings, of December 31, 1947 (the “Gaming Law”). The Gaming Law establishes that the Federal Executive, through the Ministry of the Interior, is responsible for the regulation, authorization, control and oversight of gambling and betting of any kind, including draws, with the exception of the National Lottery, which is governed by its own law. On October 23, 2013, the Regulations for the Federal Law of Games and Draws were published in the Mexican Official State Gazette, in which the main technical requirements for the gambling and gaming activities on the internet were determined, among others: ● Article 85 - The establishments shall be able to receive wagers via the internet, by telephone or electronically. For that purpose, they shall establish a system of internal control for the transactions that are made through any of these channels, including a written description of the procedures and regulations to ensure inviolability and prevent the manipulation of wager systems. Said system shall have a record of at least: (i) the number of the account and the identity of the player, and (ii) the date, time, number of transactions, wagered amount and requested selection. The mechanism for receiving wagers shall be previously approved by the Secretariat of Government. ● Article 87 - Permit holders shall fulfil the following procedures for issuing the wager tickets: (i) for each accepted wager, a single and original ticket shall be issued, which shall be given to the player, and it must be printed out with a serial number, bar code and a different number for each ticket machine, apart from the date and time of issue, wagered amount, type of wager and selection; (ii) for the wagers made via the internet, by telephone or electronically, no ticket shall be issued but the information of such wager shall be immediately registered in the central wager system after the wager has been paid. Since these wagers are made via the internet or electronically, the participants shall have access, for consulting or printing, to a voucher of their corresponding number of folio or rights. All wagers by telephone shall be recorded in audio records, with the player’s prior consent; (iii) the ticket machines shall operate connected online, in real time, to the central wager system; (iv) when, at the moment of issuing a voucher, there appears an error in the ticket machine, the voucher shall be cancelled in an administrative way; (v) the vouchers shall only be issued in the time and places appointed or authorized in the permit, and the permit holder can issue early vouchers; and (vi) the wager vouchers shall be paid at the moment that they are requested, whether in cash or through other legally accepted means of payment. Article 20 of the Gaming Law establishes that the Ministry of the Interior may grant permits to operate betting games and prize draws for the following types of business, without making specific reference to online transactions: ● for the opening and operation of betting exchange at racecourses, greyhound tracks and fronton courts, as well as for the installation of remote betting centers and rooms for drawing numbers or symbols, only to business entities that are duly constituted in accordance with the laws of the United Mexican States; ● for the opening and operation of betting exchange at fairs, to Mexican legal persons; ● for the opening and operation of betting exchange at temporarily established horse races or cock fights, to business entities duly constituted in accordance with the laws of the United Mexican States and natural persons; and ● for the organization of prize draws, to natural and legal persons constituted in accordance with the laws of the United Mexican States. The latest reform of the Special Tax on Production and Services Law (the “Special Tax Law”) published by the Mexican Official State Gazette (DOF) 12/09/19 establishes that the operation of betting games and draws, regardless of the name given to them, that require permission in accordance with the provisions of the Gaming Law and its implementing Regulations, are taxed at a rate of 30%. Article 18 of the Special Tax Law establishes that the taxable base will include the total amount of bets made by the players, minus prizes and refunds obtained by the players (refunds prior to the betting event). A 30% tax rate will be applicable on the taxable base. According to the Special Tax Law, the resulting amount may be reduced by: ● the total taxes paid according to the Gaming Law; and ● up to 20% of the amount paid to the Mexican gaming authority in order to undertake a betting activity. Finally, local gaming taxes may apply depending on each municipality and ranging from 6% to 15% tax rate on the gaming revenue of the company, and a 6% withholding on the prizes obtained by the player. In addition, in recent years, many states have established a tax on expenditures to be withheld from all players and ranges from 6% to 16.5% on their recharge (cash in). Colombia Codere Online operates online gaming in Colombia pursuant to license C1470, which allows for the operation of online gaming, granted by the Colombian gaming regulator, Coljuegos, to Codere Colombia, S.A. for a term of five (5) years and which expires on November 15, 2022 (the “Colombia License”). As of July 1, 2022, the transfer of the Colombian license to Codere Online Colombia S.A.S. has been approved from Coljuegos and Codere Online Colombia S.A.S. began operating the online business in Colombia under the Colombia License number C1901 on September 1, 2022. Decree Law 4142 of 2011, amended by Decree number 1451 of 2015, founded the Empresa Industrial y Comercial del Estado Administradora del Monopolio Rentístico de los Juegos de Suerte y Azar (“Coljuegos”), whose role is “[…] the exploitation, administration, operation and issuance of regulations of the games that are part of the state monopoly of gaming that by law are not attributed to another entity [...].” Pursuant to Article 38 of Law 643 of 2001, amended by Article 93 of Law 1753 of 2015, games operated over the internet are understood to be those in which betting and the payment of prizes are carried out by means that do not require the presence of the player, after they have registered on the authorized website or portal, and the mechanics of which are based on the use of a random number generator or the occurrence of real events, the results of which are not controlled by the operator of the game. Additionally, and focusing on the online gambling subsector, pursuant to the law “[…] Novelty games are considered, among others, to be pre-printed lotto, the instant lottery, the online lotto in any of its modalities, sports bets or bets at events and all games operated over the internet, or by any other form of information technology that does not require the presence of the bettor.” Through resolution number 04 of 2016 and subsequently through resolution number 08 of 2020, Coljuegos approved gaming regulations in relation to novelty games operated over the internet. Those legal persons that are awarded a concession may operate online gaming once they execute the corresponding concession contract and following verification of compliance with the requirements under the gambling regulations and any other parameters as determined by Coljuegos. The operation of other novelty games require authorization from Coljuegos and compliance with the selection processes established in the public procurement general statute. Article 38 of Law 643 of 2001 provides that the operator must pay an operating fee of 17% of its gross gaming revenue to Coljuegos. When the operator operates novelty games that give the player a return in accordance with the gaming regulations of 83% or more, the minimum rate for the operating rights will be 15% of the gross gaming revenue minus the prizes paid. Notwithstanding, those who operate online games will additionally pay 811 legal monthly minimum wages, which will be settled during the first 20 business days of each operating year. Article 93 of Law 1753 of 2015, establishes that internet gambling operators, in addition to paying an operating fee of 17% of gross gaming revenue, must pay COP 559,147,194 (legal tender) in tax at the beginning of each operating year. In addition to this tax, Coljuegos will demand payment by the operator of the so-called “Administration Expenses,” which will be 1% of the operating fee. Italy Codere Online operates online gaming in Italy pursuant to Remote Gaming License no. 15411 granted to Codere Scommese S.r.l. on October 7, 2019, which expires on December 31, 2022 (the “Italy License”) and which grants Codere Scommese S.r.l. the right to operate the following online gaming activities: ● fixed odds and ‘totalizator’ bets on sports events, including simulated ones, including those relating to horse racing, as well as on other events; ● sports and horse racing betting; ● national horse racing games; ● skill games, including card games in tournament and different modes, as well as games of chance at fixed odds; ● fixed odds bets with direct interaction between players; and ● bingo According to Italian criminal law, gambling that is not subject to State control is illegal under Article 718 of the Italian Criminal Code, whether organized in a public establishment or a private club. Italian law distinguishes between games of luck and games where the outcome depends on the player’s skill. Sports betting, lotteries, and some other activities fall into the category of legal and regulated gambling activities. Only the State has the right to authorize gaming and gambling activities pursuant to article 1 of the Italian Legislative Decree of April 14, 1948 no. 496. The Autonomous Administration of State Monopolies (Agenzia delle Dogane e dei Monopoli) (the “ADM”), the entity responsible for regulating gambling activities on a state level, has the power to grant gaming licenses to legal persons through tender processes provided they comply with all requirements and parameters included in the tender offer, as well as with any other applicable laws or regulations. The call for tenders for the online business in Italy was announced in March 2018. The main reason why the Italian government has adhered to strict rules has been the desire to avoid the possible negative effects associated with the industry. The following amendments liberalized the market in 2006: ● Legalization of interactive peer-to-peer remote betting on fixed odds (betting exchange); ● Legalization of real-money remote skill games; ● Possibility for operators based in any EU and EFTA country and even in an offshore jurisdiction, to apply for an Italian gambling license provided they comply with certain suitability requirements and re-locate their gaming servers to Italy; and ● New license tender aimed at redesigning and reorganizing the offline network of betting shops and betting corners as well as legalizing online gaming yet strictly under the scope of a remote gaming license to be granted by ADM subject to payment of a one-off license fee of €300,000. Law No. 77 dated as of June 24, 2009 deals with measures concerning the gaming sector following the Abruzzo Decree. The most relevant provision in the tax scheme is the introduction of an unprecedented profit-based tax regime with a flat 20% rate applying to all new games listed above other than the video lotteries. This provision is of paramount importance as it paves the way to the launch of games that otherwise could have never been offered in Italy given its penalizing turnover-based tax regime which however will continue to apply to sports and horse races betting, bingo, lotteries and skill games (including online poker tournaments that will thus continue to be taxed at 3% of the total tournament buy-ins sold by the operator). Panama Codere Online operates online gaming in Panama pursuant to Resolution No. 921 of September 21, 2017 which authorizes HIPA to operate online sports betting by virtue of Contract No. 1 of April 16, 2018 (under which it was awarded 5 licenses for a five (5) year term, renewable for another five (5) years) and Contract No. 193 of October 4, 2005 (under which it was awarded 51 licenses for a twenty (20) year term) (the “HIPA License”). In addition, ALTA was awarded a standalone online gaming license, under which ALTA is authorized to conduct online gaming operations in Panama for a twenty (20) year term starting on December 1, 2021, subject to compliance with certain requirements pursuant to the Regulation (the “ALTA License”). As described under Item 7.B. “Related Party Transactions—Material Agreements—Panama Restructuring Agreements”, Codere Online may request the transfer of the ALTA License from ALTA to Codere Online, but such transfer is subject to the authorization from the Panama Gambling Control Board. While the ALTA License is held by ALTA, Codere Online will operate the ALTA License under the agreement that Codere Online Panama and ALTA entered into on December 1, 2021. Law Decree No. 2 of February 10, 1998 (the “Law Decree”), is the legal framework which regulates gaming and gambling activities in Panama. The Gaming Control Board, in representation of the Panama State, assumes the operation of gambling activities and betting activities, for the exclusive benefit of the Panama State. This operation may be exercised directly or through third parties. Hence, gambling and betting activities that take place in Panama must be authorized, regulated and supervised according to the dispositions of the Law Decree, including gaming and gambling activities and betting activities which take place abroad, by electronic means or other means of remote communication. In 2002, The Gambling Control Board Plenary, in exercise of its legal powers, issued the regulations governing the licenses of electronic gambling activities which was recently modified by Resolution No. 11 of March 6, 2020 (the “Resolution”). The Resolution regulates the operation of gambling activities through internet and establishes the procedures and requirements to be fulfilled by all individuals and corporations interested in obtaining a license to operate online gaming platforms. This Resolution expressly excludes from the definition of gambling activities racehorses, lottery, and amateur matches in which Panamanian nationals participate. Under national law, and individual or corporation may be awarded a maximum of five (5) licenses. Licenses may be granted for a maximum term of twenty (20) years. This license award is always at the discretion of the Gaming Control Board. If the Gaming Control Board authorizes a concession agreement, a one-time fee of fifty thousand balboas (50,000 PAB) must be paid to the Panama State for each gaming license that is awarded, upon the ratification by the National General Controller. Furthermore, during the period established in the concession agreement, the licensee must: (i) pay to Gambling Control Board ten percent (10%) of its gross gaming revenue (to be paid monthly), (ii) grant a compliance guarantee and a prize payment guarantee, and (iii) comply with the terms and conditions of the concession agreement, the Resolution, the Law Decree and any applicable Panamanian legislation, such as: - Law No. 27 of March 24, 2015 and the Executive Decree No. 264 of June 17, 2015, that establish a 5.5% gambling tax, which the licensee, as collector agent, should charge to each payment ticket or coupon, tokens and other documents that have a payment obligation due to gambling activities, betting activities and any other gaming and gambling activity authorized by the Panama State; - Law No. 23 of April 27, 2015 on prevention of money laundering and the funding of terrorism and the financing of the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Therefore, a licensee operating gambling activities, betting activities and any other gaming activity authorized by the Panama State is also regulated and supervised by the Superintendence of Supervision and Regulation of Non-Financial Subjects; and - Law No. 81 of March 26, on data privacy. Before standalone online licenses, such as the ALTA License, were authorized pursuant to the Resolution, some operators, such as HIPA, were authorized to operate online sports betting pursuant to a license that allowed the licensee to operate land-based betting agencies under Resolution No. 43 of October 24, 2016 which modified the Resolution No. 77 of September 4, 1999, provided that (i) the client previously registered through land-based betting agency, and (ii) the operator obtained prior authorization from the Gaming Control Board. A sports betting operator must pay the Gaming Control Board the following monthly fees: (i) 2% on prizes paid, (ii) 0.25% on amounts wagered of international sport betting, and (iii) 0.5% on amounts wagered of international greyhound racings. Argentina In Argentina, gaming is mainly regulated at the provincial level. Each province has the exclusive power to exploit, organize, manage, operate, control, monitor, and regulate all forms of gaming, and to establish the conditions to operate in the gaming sector. The power to grant licenses and authorizations for gaming activities is vested on each province. However, gaming activities may be subject to both provincial and federal taxes. Article 50 of the Constitution of the City of Buenos Aires, provides that the City of Buenos Aires has the exclusive right to exploit and commercialize gambling. The City of Buenos Aires cannot delegate its power to exploit online gaming to third parties. It can only grant permits to authorize private companies to distribute and commercialize online gaming. Law N°538 authorizes the Executive Power of the City of Buenos Aires to create and regulate games approved by the City of Buenos Aires Legislature. In May 2019, the City of Buenos Aires issued resolution RESDI-2018-321-LOTBA (the “Regulation”) approving setting forth the regulatory framework applying to online gaming activities within the City of Buenos Aires. The Regulation was later approved by the City of Buenos Aires Legislature. The regulator of the gambling activity in the City of Buenos Aires is the state-owned company Lotería de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires S.E. (“LOTBA”). The Regulation provides that LOTBA may grant permits to third parties for the commercialization and distribution of online gambling. Such permits may be granted for a term of up to five (5) years, renewable for another five (5) years. The holder of such permit shall pay 10% of the gross gaming revenue (“GGR”) to the City of Buenos Aires through LOTBA. The process to award permits was launched in February 2020 following the approval of resolution RESDI 15/LOTBA/20 (subsequently amended by RESDI/71/LOTBA/20) that provides the legal requirements that must be fulfilled by the applicants in order to obtain a permit. In 2020, Iberargen S.A. submitted an application for a permit and complied with all the requirements requested by LOTBA. On March 12, 2021, LOTBA granted the permit to Iberargen S.A. under code DI-2021-238-GCABA-LOTBA (the “Buenos Aires License”) for a period of five (5) years and, in December 2021, authorized Iberargen, S.A. to operate in the City of Buenos Aires thereunder. In addition, gambling in the City of Buenos Aires is subject to a tax on the gross revenue (defined as GGR minus the 10% tax payable to LOTBA) of 6.0%. Law 27.591, as amended on 2021, created a new federal tax applying to online gambling. The tax rate is 2.5% and up to 15% of the net customer deposits, depending on whether the operator is a local company having investments in the gaming sector in Argentina or not. Enforcement of Law 27.591 is subject the issuance of implementing regulations by the federal tax authorities. Malta Codere Online holds business-to-consumer (“B2C”) and business-to-business (“B2B”) Maltese gaming licenses, but it does not currently offer online casino and sports betting to customers located in Malta. Codere Online Operator Limited’s (“ONOL”) B2C license was issued on April 15, 2019 and is valid for a period of ten (10) years (the “B2C License”). ONOL requested a voluntary suspension of the B2C License and is in the process of requesting a definitive surrender of such license. Codere Online Management Services Limited (“OMSE”) was issued a B2B gaming license on April 15, 2019 for a ten (10) year term (the “B2B License”). Codere Online is authorized to provide Type 1 (Casino) and Type 2 (Fixed Odds Betting) B2B gaming services via OMSE’s B2B License. Regulation 3 of the Gaming Authorisations Regulations (Subsidiary Legislation 583.05 of the Laws of Malta), provides that “no person shall provide or carry out a gaming service or provide a critical gaming supply from Malta or to any person in Malta, or through a Maltese legal entity, except when in possession of a valid licence […]”, without prejudice to any exemptions provided in applicable law. Regulation 3 (2) of the Gaming Authorisations Regulations provides that “no person shall offer a licensable game, whether as part of a gaming service, critical gaming supply or otherwise, unless such game is approved or otherwise recognised” by the Maltese Gaming Authority’s (“MGA”). A licensable game is “a game which is not an exempt game”. Generally, without prejudice to ad hoc exemptions as may be applicable, games which are licensable are games of chance and controlled skill games. The authority responsible for, inter alia, the regulation, supervision and enforcement of the Gaming Act and all subsidiary legislation falling under the remit of the same is the MGA. The MGA is considered to be the primary point of contact for regulatory reporting by licensees, with the latter obliged, in terms of numerous Regulations and Directives (such as Directive 3 of 2018), to notify, seek prior approval and inform the MGA of events and changes across multiple aspects of each licensed business, including but not limited to, a change in delivery channel of a gaming service and changes to approved technical set up. Any person in possession of a license issued by the MGA shall pay the MGA the appropriate fees in relation to the type of license awarded. As operator of the B2C License, ONOL is due to pay (a) a license fee composed of a fixed annual license fee and a variable component known as the compliance contribution and (b) gaming tax. The variable component within the compliance contribution and the calculation method has been established by the MGA in Directive 4 of 2018 – Directive on the Calculation of Compliance Contribution. The compliance contribution is a variable percentage charged on tranches of gaming revenue generated in a particular game type. As operator of the B2B License, OMSE is due to pay a variable annual license fee. The variable annual fee for the B2B License ranges from € 25,000 35,000 Gaming tax is set at 5% on gaming revenue generated from Malta based players. Accordingly, taxability is determined by whether the player is established, has his permanent address and/or usually resides in Malta. In light of ONOL’s voluntary suspension of the B2C License, ONOL’s obligation to pay the compliance contribution and gaming tax, as applicable, was suspended from the date the suspension was approved by the MGA. |