SPAIN
William Hill Miguel Valdés, Country Manager, Spain
CIO: How important was gaining the Spanish licence?
Miguel Valdés (MV): Spain has always been high on our priority list when it came to international expansion. It’s a huge market with over 35 million adults and we expect to see very strong growth in Spain during the next few years.
CIO: What specific products does this licence permit you to offer?
MV: William Hill Online will offer our award- winning sportsbook and casino. The casino will include the three varieties of games approved by the government: Black Jack, roulette and baccarat.
“We only dipped our toe into the Spanish market last year but we’ve already seen spectacular results and great acceptance”
CIO: How big a part of your business has the Spanish market been in recent times?
MV: We only dipped our toe into the Spanish market last year but we’ve already seen spectacular results and great acceptance among our target audience.
CIO: Was there ever any doubt that you would seek and receive a Spanish licence?
MV: William Hill has always been a reference for the Spanish Government as a big responsible group, but it was a tricky process for all of the applicants. The licensing project changed several times during the process and the local land-based operators lobbied hard against the new regulations. However, we never doubted that we would be one of the successful licensees.
CIO: How large an issue was the back taxation?
MV: I think all of the operators believe there is no legal base for back taxation - especially for the international brands. Nevertheless, like the other brands, we needed to negotiate with the government in order to get our license.
CIO: What are your current activities and future plans in this market place?
MV: We’re aiming to become one of the top three operators in Spain in the next few years and we will continue to use our existing customer-focused strategies to reach that target.
CIO: What do you think the future is for the Spanish market?
MV: The governmental regulations need to evolve and adapt to the changing face of the world of gambling. The Spanish gambling market will become a very competitive environment over the next couple of years and we believe only the strongest will survive during this period.
CIO: What do you think William Hill in particular has to offer this region?
MV: William Hill is one of the oldest and most respected names in the world of gambling. We’ve been operating since 1934, and players across the globe know William Hill as a name you can trust. Our sportsbook offers the widest variety of sports betting opportunities in the industry and we’ll continue to offer the best local and international football betting product to Spanish bettors. Our casino products will be produced by Playtech solutions which will feature an exciting range of games for our Spanish players.
JULY/AUGUST 2012 53
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