Spanish Gambling Authority Approves eCOGRA

Shortly after its recent accreditation as a full testing agency by the Italian regulator AAMS, eCOGRA announced in its latest press release (31^st of October) that it achieved similar status with the new Spanish gambling regulator. eCOGRA can now test and certify both internet gaming software and information systems security that operate within the Spanish market.

The Director General of Gambling Regulation in Spain said regular and professional testing is a must for internet casinos who want to apply for a Spanish license. He said applicants must be appraised for both its casino games and platform by a testing agency acknowledged by the Spanish authorities. Once the applicant passed the assessment it will be issued with a provisional license and four months would be allocated to it in which to prepare for a final and comprehensive inspection of operational systems, games and hosting facilities. A full licensed would be issued once the applicant passed its final examination. Many internet gambling operators have applied for licenses to operate in the Spanish internet gambling market. eCOGRA is one of the agencies that would conduct frequent assessments.

Chief executive officer of eCOGRA, Andrew Beveridge praised the Spanish regulator for its recent liberalized internet gambling market. He also mentioned that the European Union’s (EU) fractured structure is a point of concern. Operators, software suppliers and testing agencies like eCOGRA are faced with severe regulatory requirements of different national jurisdictions.

Beveridge stated that eCOGRA will put its clients’ needs first, it strives to improve its auditing approach and it aims to give its software supplier clients a decent service. eCOGRA offers its clients a well-organized audit process when they apply for licenses in new jurisdictions accompanied with few disruptions to the rollout of new products and system changes.

One of the standout features of eCOGRA is that it offers a shorter testing time across multiple jurisdictions. Through this approach internet casinos that operate in various jurisdictions will be able to reduce their annual inspection costs. Additional benefits of eCOGRA include professional and industry experienced auditors who understand the operational and regulatory environments, a proven track record, and competitive testing agency fees. Apart from the Italian and Spanish internet gaming markets, eCOGRA also operates in the United Kingdom.