Version: 03052003
Editor: Franka Pals
Publisher: Novamedia
Disclaimer: Novamedia disclaims all liability for information provided within the ”Novamedia European Gaming and Lottery Files”.The information is supplied by independent journalistic sources. No parts of these files may be reproduced in any form by print, photo print, microfilm or otherwise, or re-distributed electronically in any form without written permission from the publisher.
The Kingdom of Spain is sharing its borders with France and Andorra in the North, and in the South with Gibraltar and at the other side of the Strait of Gibraltar with Morocco, where three small Spanish possessions off the coast of Morocco are embedded: Islas Chafarinas, Penon de Alhucemas, and Penon de Velez de la Gomera. In the East Portugal is the neighbour of Spain. The surrounding seas of the Iberian peninsula are, clock wise from the north, the Balearic Sea, with its Balearic Islands, which is divided into two island groups: Gimnesias (Mallorca, Menorca and Cabrera) in the North, and Pitiusas (Ibiza y Formentera) in the South-West.Then the Mediterranean Sea, Strait of Gibraltar, the North Atlantic Ocean, where south-west of Spain and north-west of Africa, directly in front of the coast of Morocco the Canary Islands are spread, consisting of 7 larger islands (Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Tenerife, La Palma, Gomera, Hierro) and a few smaller ones (Alegranza, Graciosa, Montaña Clara, Roque del Este, Roque del Oeste and Lobos).
Perhaps the reader might think why I'm giving such a detailed information on the Spanish islands, Well, a trip to any of those beautiful islands would not suit ill as a desired prize in any lottery and, what's more important, as a resident myself of a small isle in the Turkish Sea of Marmara, I want to honour and salute all my fellow islanders!
Spain, surrounded by that much sea, once was powerful (maritime) empire, ruling the waves and many countries world wide. The reminiscence can be measured off the number of people talking Spanish: the fourth language in the world in terms of numbers of speakers, over 330 million. In the USA alone, there are 22.5 million Hispanic speakers.
From December 1979, Spain was divided into 9 autonomous Communities (comunidades autónomas) with various degrees of autonomy. In each region a representative of the central government is posted and each region is divided into governorates.
Stock exchanges*
The Spanish stock exchanges, (still) reflects the 19 autonomous administrative divisions in Spain, with great contrasts between a.o. Madrid, Catalonia and Basque country.
Madrid Stock Exchange (Bolsa de Madrid)
In recent years, the Spanish securities market has made significant progress. The technical, operational and structural systems underlying the market today have resulted in significant growth in its activity and importance. Large investment volumes have been processed and the markets have been given greater transparency, liquidity and efficiency. The main institutions of the Spanish Stock Market have all signed a protocol aiming to build a company which acts as an integrating centre of all Spanish markets as well as a decisive instrument for their international projection.
Barcelona Stock Exchange
The stock-market of Barcelona gives an optimal front door to the Spanish global markets and has created diverse markets, specialised in prestigeous services'
Bilbao Stock Exchange (Sociedad Rectora de la Bolsa de Valoes de Bilbao)
The Bolsa de Bilbao was founded on the 21st of July 1890. It was the Regent Queen Maria Cristina de Habsburgo-Lorena, who signed the Royal Decree granting authorisation to establish a General Stock Exchange in Bilbao. Since its creation, the Bolsa de Bilbao has been closely linked to the development of the financial, industrial and economic activity of the Basque Country.
Spanish Options Exchange (MEFF Renta Variable)
MEFF is the Spanish Official Exchange for Fixed Income and Equity Derivatives fully authorised by the Ministry of Finance. Its activity is to organise the options and futures Market for Financial Derivatives and to run a clearing system integrated with the Market. MEFF started trading in November, 1989.
Spanish Financial Futures Market (MEFF Renta Fija)
Merged with the Spanish Options Exchange and work under the same website.
Valencia Stock Exchange (Sociedad Rectora de la Bolsa de Valoes de Valencia)
* Source: Cheapest Offer Ltd
| Population: | 40,077,100 (July 2002 est.) |
|---|---|
| Age Structure | 0-14 years: 14.5% (male 2,993,747; female 2,812,498) |
| Currency: | Euro |
| GPD | GDP: purchasing power parity - $828 billion (2002 est.) GDP - real growth rate: 2% (2002 est.) GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $20,700 (2002 est.) |
Mobile & Internet penetration |
According to a research (over 51,000 people aged 16 years upwards, dated 101202) of the Spanish National Institute for Statistics (INE), and CMT, the Spanish telecoms regulator, 19 million citizens, about 55 per cent of the population, have at least one mobile handset. Above that 36 per cent of all homes have a personal computer and 88 per cent of those who access the internet from their homes surf for an average of 50 hours per week, while 91 per cent of those who connect to the internet from work spend an equal amount of time. A survey of Telefonica de Espana shows, over the same period, that 7 million Spanish citizens have an internet connection, and the study predicts further that 40 % of the population will have online access by 2005. Another research indicates that entrepreneurial internet access has increased from 50 per cent in 1999 to 64 per cent in 2000, and one out of four companies have their own website. About 16 per cent of all internet users have broadband access. Behind the UK and Germany, Spain is in the top three list of countries in online banking in Europe. |
Private Gaming was legalised in Spain in 1977. In the four previous decades the only types of legal gaming were under state control. These lotteries and pools were so called log-odds, so instant prizes were excluded. These lotteries and pools are still controlled by the state, although certain autonomous communities (Catalonia and the Basque Country) have developed instant lotteries and since 2003 Sports Betting in Aragon was granted. According to the Constitution of 1978 also gaming is permitted.
Effectively, throughout the 80's, the legislation was gradually transferred to 7 autonomous communities within the context of the political structuring of the Kingdom, where a large part of the decision centres were granted to each of the 19 autonomous communities.
In a first phase, Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia, Valencia, Navarra, Canary Islands and Andalusia progressively assumed responsibility for gaming, basically including private gaming (Bingo, Leisure Machine with Prize, Leisure Machines, Casino, Slot Machines...), and also providing for the chance to develop games under the umbrella of the public management of each of the Administrations. Such management will never explicitly include the games directly controlled by the central Administration: Loteria Nacional, Bono Loto, Primitiva, Football Pools...
The second phase in the transfer of competencies took place from 1992 when competence for Casino's Gaming and Random Combinations was transferred to the communities of Asturias, Aragon, Malearic Islands, Cantabria, Castilla-Leon, Castilla-La Mancha, La Rioja (famous red wines!), Madrid, Murcia and Extramadura, all of which were then able to regulate Gaming with full competence within their geographical jurisdictions.
The Third phase of the transfer took place in 1998 when Ceuta and Melilla (embedded in Morocco) received the same competencies as the other autonomous communities.
And so one one of the elements distinguishing this regulation process in Spain is the legislation and adninistrative regulation on Gaming is the responsibility of the Autonomous Communities or regions, and not of the central State Administration. However, it is also important to stress that town counsels have no regulatory power in such matters, except for the application of the municipal licence on opening requires of all establishments (hostelry, gaming hall, casino...) intending to set up a gaming apparatus.
Still with exceptions, gaming Casinos around Spain allow the use of French and American Roulette, Black jack, Point and Bank and La Boule.
Recreational machines as a rule are divided in Spain as follows:
For the entertainment of users and in exchange for the price of the game, they only offer players the time of the game without there being any prize or compensation in cash, material or in the form of of exchangeable points.
In exchange for the price of the game, they offer users a time of use and possibly, depending on on the gaming program, a cash prize. These also will include dispensers machines including some kind of game, bet, raise or chance.
In exchange for the price of the game, they offer users the time of use and possibly a prize, always based on chance.
Bingo consists of a lottery played on 90 numbers from 1 to 90 inclusive, which uses boards made up of 15 numbers distributed in rows and columns as a game unit, where prizes are giving for line combinations and Bingo, that is completing the numbers of one line or the whole board respectively. In Spain, this game can only be played in authorised establishments with a permit to open and function.
Companies responsible for managing these establishments might be charitable, sports or cultural entities or mercantile companies.
The autonomous communities are not only responsible for the legislative and administrative control of Gaming, but also for the tax side. The autonomies set by law, a fixed quantity that must be paid by companies operating type B and C Machines. Type A Machines are not subject to any tax or autonomous levy.
* Source: Joc Privat. Used with permission.
Website: www.onlae.terra.es
The Loterias y Apuestas del Estado, the Spanish National Lottery, was formed to provide means of daily income for the State Treasury and is run as a monopoly by the State: Ministry of Finance.
To guarantee the rights of the the lottery players, rigid regulations are in place, usually the norms are set out in Royal Decrees.
The 'Lottery Instruction' applicable today, was approved in 1959. In 1979, by Royal Decree, the period of 3 months to be able to claim lottery prizes was fixed, and was brought into force on the January 1st, 1980.
By Royal Decree 904/1985 of June 11th, 1985, the 'State National Organisation of Lotteries and Betting' was established, being the responsible body for the organisation and management of lotteries, betting and competitions run by the State. The Royal Decree 2069/1999 of December 30th, 1999 came into force on the 15th January 2000, approving the Statute of the public body of State-run lotteries and betting. This Decree was published in the B.O.E. n º 12, dated January 14th, 2000:
Art. 1: The National Lottery is a service of the Spanish State which guarantees the payment of prizes.
Art. 2 : It is forbidden for the resellers to surcharge tickets. The resale with surcharge will be punished according to the laws referring to smuggling and defrauding.
Art. 8: The sale of tickets is carried out by the official Points of Sale whose owners, if they consider it necessary, can make use of authorised sellers.
Note: The LAE (State Betting and Lottery) can not sell tickets directly.
Art. 274: Participations of lottery tickets can be expedited without surcharge, under their responsibility, by players and private individuals, as well as by legal firms.
The Order Decree, dated from the 4th of December, 1975, states that ordering or purchasing Spanish lottery tickets from overseas is made in collaboration with Spanish credit banks whose functions are controlled by the Bank of Spain.
According to the Royal Decree 172/2002, of February 8th, 2002, Mr. José Miguel Martínez Martínez was appointed General Director of Loterías y Apuestas del Estado, an entity answerable to the Spanish Ministry of Finance.
In 1763, by way of a Royal Decree from King Charles III, the National Lottery was established in Spain, using the Italian system as its model but having a monopolistic character. On Saturday, December 10th of that year, the first draw was carried out, probably in Madrid, at the small square of St. Ildefonso. The taking reached 187,516 reales and 11 maravedís!
This first lottery did not look like todays' National Lottery, but look likes more like the present 'Lotería Primitiva.' Originally, the lottery could only be played in Madrid, it spread slowly in other provinces like Seville, Valencia, Cadiz, etc.
Some years later the same King agreed to set up a Spanish lottery in America. But, strangely enough, that game did not look like at the than Spanish lottery, but followed the Dutch model, using frames and sections, similar to todays National Lottery.
The existence of two lottery systems.
It was Ciriaco González Carvajal who, in 1811, submitted an outline for a lottery which has many similarities as those used today. The Treasury took a few months to organise the first draw, publishing the "Instruction" for the running of this new lottery and for the safety of its funds. It was established that 75% of the takings for each draw would be distributed in prizes and the tickets would be distributed in full, showing the price, as well as the date and draw number on each 'slip'; the remaining tickets were to be held by the Treasury, etc.
The first draw took place in Cadiz on March 4th, 1812. This National, or Modern Lottery, which originally was only played in Cadiz and St. Fernando, moved also to Ceuta and, as Napoleon´s armies retreated, it extended its sales, firstly to the rest of Andalucía and later, to all of Spain. The last draw of the Modern Lottery, which took place in Cadiz, was on January 27th, 1814. By than its headquarters was established in the capital Madrid, where the first draw took place on February 28th, 1814.
Ciriaco González Carvajal, excited by the success of the Modern Lottery, proposed to organise two extra draws: one in June and the other one in December. And this is how the antecedent of today´s 'Sorteo extraordinario de Navidad' (Christmas special draw) originated. Its main difference consisted in raising the amount of prizes and reducing the number of tickets, and so increasing the player´s probability of winning.
It should be pointed out that the Christmas special draw wasn´t proposed until 1892, and that the first draw took place officially in December 1896.
The tickets or parts of the lottery tickets are sold through the 'Central Offices for Lotteries'. In 1817, there were already 497 of these sales offices throughout Spain, with only two of them managed by women.
The National Lottery tickets, were designed and printed by the National Mint from February 1st, 1940.
Since 1853, the Lottery winning prizes were drawn out off a metal drum. There were special drums for the Daily draws or Christmas draws. The latter is carried out in the traditional manner, using two drums, the numbers in one and the prizes in the other. Other draws used five metal drums (which isn´t new, as even in 1888 it was done that way).
Traditionally, since the beginning of the lottery, the children from San Ildefonso School are picking the winning numbers from the drums and singing those numbers in front of the public audience (and on TV), like little ministers of the blind goddess Fortuna, during the draw.
The Quiniela is the Spanish equivalent of the football pools and coupons are available from estancos. Players can predict a home win (1), a draw (X) or an away win (2) for most premier and first division matches. 12 or more correct forecasts wins a prize, the size of which varies from week to week depending on the takings or recaudación;
The sweepstakes known as the 'El Gordo,' (the Fat One) is probably the best known lottery in the World. There are two Fat Ones per year: one on December 22nd, the 'El Gordo de Navidad' (Christmas), and one on July 6th 'El Gordo del Verano' (The Summer Fat One).
Some key facts of of the July 6th, 2003 El Gordo:
| # | Condition | Payout (Mln. US$) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Division prizes | |||
| 1st Prize | 1 | Match all 5 Digits from the 1st Prize Ticket Number | 269.84 |
| 2nd Prize | 1 | Match all 5 Digits from the 2nd Prize Ticket Number | 129.52 |
| 3rd Prize | 1 | Match all 5 Digits from the 3rd Prize Ticket Number | 64.76 |
| 4th Prize | 2 | Match all 5 Digits from either one of the 2 Ticket Numbers Drawn for the 4th Prize | 53.96 |
| 5th Prize | 4 | Match all 5 Digits from any of the 5 Ticket Numbers Drawn for the 5th Prize | 25.92 |
| Subsidiary Prizes | |||
| 2 | Get one digit higher or lower thanthe 1st Prize Ticket Number | 5.40 | |
| 2 | Get one digit higher or lower than the 2nd Prize Ticket Number | 3.24 | |
| 2 | Get one digit higher or lower than the 3rd Prize Ticket Number | 2.60 | |
| 297 | Match the last 3 digits from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Prize Ticket Numbers | 40.07 | |
| 1,977 | Match the last 2 digits from the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Prize Ticket Numbers | 266.74 | |
| 6,599 | Match the last digit from the 1st Prize Ticket Number | 178.07 | |
| 1,531 | Plus another 1,531 ticket holders will win additional cash prizes that'll be given away in the El Gordo Lottery Draw: | 206.56 | |
| Total prizes: | 10,419 | ||
| Total Cash Payout: | 1.25 Billion | ||
El Niño (The Child, The Small One):
The El Niño lottery is yearly held on the eve of Three Kings Day, January 6, the traditional holiday for giving gifts to children in many Spanish-speaking countries.
Some key facts:
(Spanish National Organisation of the Blind)
Website: www.once.es
The Spanish National Organisation of the Blind is a public law corporation. Membership of the Organisation is open to Spanish blind and seriously visually impaired persons, whose visual acuity or field of vision is less than or equal to ten per cent of the normal values.
The ONCE was founded on December 13th, 1938 and since 1982, its members have democratically elected their leaders every four years.
The ONCE's principal source of income is the ONCE lottery, which ONCE itself runs through a state concession, thanks to which it is able to carry out all the good social work the institution undertakes. The 'Cupón', Coupon, (the popular name for this lottery) provides a stable job for 23,000 salespersons, 15,000 of whom are blind and visually impaired affiliates, while the rest are persons with other disabilities. The 'coupon' accounts for over 11% of the total Spanish gaming market.
Thanks to its considerable resources, all of which stem from sales of the lottery, the ONCE Foundation is now the most important social foundation in Spain. These resources enable it to fulfil its objective, namely, to carry out its social and labour integration programmes in a direct, concerted manner.
ONCE was founded by a Decree of December 13th, 1938. Until that moment, the Spanish blind were badly organised in some 30 associations. In addition to their union into one organisation, the Spanish state consigned the rights to operate a lottery to ONCE: Pro-Ciegos (Blind) Coupon. With the profit of this lottery social work should be financed and and jobs for handicapped people should created.
Coupon Pro-Blind (1939)
On May 8th, 1939, ONCE celebrated the first drawings of the Pro-Ciegos Coupon. From that day, and to the end of 1983, the coupon form did not vary essentially: the design did not change at all. However the price for a Coupon rose in successive stages from 10 céntimos to 25 pesetas. The prizes were 25 or 250 times the value played for two and three correct numbers, respectively.
During almost 45 years some 30 daily drawings took place by Provincial and Local organisations. (By the end of 1941 the whole Spanish territory was covered). The drawing consisted of the extraction of three balls, indicated the winning numbers. 2,985 series were available. Thanks to a very positive reception of the Coupon, in the beginning of the 40's, ONCE started with the first social actions: the creation of training centres for blind and Braille lessons were organised., the professional formation, etc.
In 1981 the first Extraordinary Drawing was held on December 13, when the Festival of Santa Lucia, the Patron of the blind was celebrated. Later editions followed and in 1986 this special draw was held on the 1st of January. The price of that coupon was 100 pesetas.
With the liberalisation and legalisation of the game, in 1977, the ONCE organisation established important modifications in her drawings in order to make it more competitive and attractive.
On January 2nd, 1984 the ONCE Coupon Pro-Blind organisation launched a drawing for the whole of Spain, supported by the first great commercial publicity campaign and the motto was: "the illusion of every day". The price was than 50 pesetas. This transformation gave a new image not only to the Coupon lottery but also to ONCE itself.
In October 1985 a second lottery product was introduced: Supersorteo (Super Draw). This draw took place on Sundays. Draws two days in a row influenced both lotteries in a negative way (cannibalism), that's why ONCE decided to spread the draws: one draw on Friday and one Monday.
Weekend Supersorteo was characterised by the introduction of five numbers and the main prize was 2,000,000 pesetas. The price of the Coupon was fixed at 100 pesetas, with series of one hundred thousand numbers.
The dynamics of the gaming market occasioned in October, 1987 to establish important new features. The Coupon was reformed and the drawing moved from Monday to Thursday. The fifth number was introduced and a prize five correct numbers was 2,500,000 pesetas (15,060 EUR) and one Coupon costed 100 pesetas (0,60 EUR).
In addition, the Friday Coupon was strengthened with an extra prize, the Cuponazo (special lottery prize) , with 100 million pesetas to the five numbers plus the extracted series of the awarded number was introduced. The price of this coupon was of 100 pesetas (0.60 EUR).
In May, 1991 the Friday Coupon was modified. The prize of the Cuponazo was increased to 150 million pesetas (900,000 EUR). Its price: 1,20 EUR.
Thanks to the new frame created by a new agreement signed with the Government, who provided more autonomy and flexibility to ONCE, a reform took place at May 2nd, 1996. The ordinary Coupon was modified (from Monday to Thursday). The cost of a Coupon became 150 pesetas (0,90 EUR) and it increased the main prize to five numbers and it offered two new features: 100,000 pesetas (602 EUR) for the numbers previous and subsequent to the awarded Coupon number: the Sueldazo. So for 10 consecutive series of previous and 10 of subsequent of the main prize, the prize is 1,506 EUR.
Due to a difficult market, caused by a strong local and foreign competition, and the lack of legislation on the illegal games, and the proliferation of the new technologies (interactive gaming) caused that ONCE needed a 'shake up' of its products in October, 1997.
The Coupon drawing was moved from Monday to Thursday. Its price and prizes was increased to respectively 200 pesetas (1.20 EUR) and its main prize to 5 million pesetas (five numbers).
The Friday coupon increased its prizes as well. Not only in quantity but also in diversity. A nouveautee was introduced: 2 structures of parallel prizes:
Thus, the Cuponazo increased to 250 million pesetas (1.51 million EUR).
In December of 1999 ONCE introduced 'Supercupón Weekend', which brings every Sunday more than 750 million in prizes. This new draw gives a first prize: five numbers and series of 10 million pesetas for period of 25 years. Coupon price: 250 pesetas (1.51 EUR).
On August 15th, 2000 ONCE organised an 'Extraordinary Sorteo of Solidarity' (extra draw for solidarity), known as 'El Millonario'. This drawing pays out a first prize of 1,000 million pesetas (6.02 million EUR) to the coupon with five numbers plus the series corresponding with the numbers coming out the big drums. In addition, it distributes to 199 prizes of 10 million pesetas (60,000 EUR) for every winner of the five correct numbers excluding the series. The price of the coupon was 500 pesetas (3.01 EUR).
5% of the turnover was destined to support programs for projects of the blind in Latin America, and supporting the Spanish participants of the Paralympics in Sidney.
New Cuponazo. double Cuponazo? (January 2001)
In January 2001 the Friday coupon experienced another change. Accompanied by the publicity campaign "the Double". The first prize of this draw (five numbers and series) doubles the winning prize from 250 million to 500 million pesetas. The price of the coupon stayed 250 pesetas (1.51 EUR).
With the introduction of the Euro, January 1st, 2002, new prize and price structures were changed. The price of the Thursday Coupon was determined at 1 Euro.
Five correct numbers and consecutive series of 100.000 Euro. The rest of prizes: five numbers 12,000 Euro; four last numbers: 150 Euro; three last numbers: 15 Euro; two last numbers: 2 Euro.
The Friday Coupon increased its main prize to:
Its price: 2 Euro.
'Supercupón weekend' also adapted its price and prizes to the new currency.
The prizes:
Its price: 1.5 Euro
Modification of Supercupón weekend (June 2002)
Already in June, 2002, a price and prize structure had to be adjusted for 'Super-cupón weekend'. The main prize (five numbers and series) had to be raised to 100,000 Euro per year for a period of 25 years.
Its price: 2 Euro.
From July 1st, 2002, a new product was born: 'the Bonocupón'. This modality consists of a ticket that with a same number allows to participate in all the drawings made in one week. Its price: 2 Euro.
As from January 1st, 2003, the following product lines are available:
'La Ilusión de Todos Días' (The Illusion of Every Day)
'Ilusiones a lo Grande' (Illusion To The Great Thing)
'Más Ilusiones a lo Grande' (More To The Great Thing)
'Gánate una Vida'
'Gánate Una Vida Mejor'
'Ilusiones Toda La Semana' (Illusions the Whole Week)
Beneficiaries:
Social Services for the Blind, Visual Impaired and Disabled persons.
Sponsoring
'ONCE', like the French lottery company 'La Française des Jeux', the Belgian 'Lotto' and the Dutch lottery 'Bankgiroloterij' are sponsoring professional cycling teams to promote their products, to increase their name awareness and to entertain relations (relation marketing). Strangely enough, non off those companies, just like all other sportsbet operators in the world, are not able to find or to develop a good stable cycling betting product, however there exists a great cycling betting product: Veloto!
Website: www.oid.es
OID is a direct competitor of ONCE, with both charities holding a similar daily lottery.
Enrique Gimenez-Reyna, the ex-Spanish secretary of state for the treasury, for favouring a competitor, was blamed by ONCE to favour OID.
Website: www.lotocatalunya.es
Year of establishment: 1986
Lotto:
Numbers, including Keno:
Instant and Breakopen:
Other:
Income from the activity, which constitutes public revenue, is entirely invested in social projects, more specifically the financing of investment, programmes and schemes for the elderly and the disabled, and the running of social child-care centres.
In 2001 in Spain 30 international casinos, mainly established in tourist centres, were operating. In April 2003 that numbers arose to 43. In 2001 3,263,856 guests visited a Spanish landbased casino.