In the past, the online poker industry was flourishing on a global scale. Countries across the globe were doing well, seeing great returns from online poker game play. However, after many countries began to crack down on laws that involve online gambling, areas began to suffer. It was not long after the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was passed in 2006 by the United States that sites left the market and other countries began to take a look at their laws involving the matter. Many countries in Europe decided to move away from shared online poker industries.
After this took place, countries like Spain and Italy decided to create frameworks for licensing that would issue a gaming license only after the operator was tested and sites are monitored closely during operations. Players were not allowed to take part in the dot.com marketplace in regards to online poker. Italy began offering on market for online poker in 2008 and France did the same by 2010. Spain was the last to do so in 2012.
Now it seems that gaming regulators are realizing that this decision was a mistake as they are not able to take advantage of revenues that could be gained from outside players. Players left their country to begin playing at sites that are more lucrative and this left the poker industries of France, Spain and Italy lacking. Now, it seems the countries are on track to work together and offer shared player liquidity which will mean better tournament guarantees, larger prize pools and more.
The road to shared player liquidity has been a slow one. Talks had been ongoing for some time and the benefits discussed so that each country can see what there is to gain. There are certain aspects that will have to be configured such as the technology used to link markets as well as taxes.
It was France that began the talks of shared liquidity when Charles Coppolani moved into the position as the president of ARJEL in 2014. ARJEL is the online gaming regulator of France. Coppolani was very vocal as to concerns he felt were present in regards to the decline of online poker within segregated markets. Coppolani spoke openly about a desire to work with other nations of Europe.
It took about two years for Coppolani to convince his government that the chance needed to be taken in regards to shared poker liquidity and the French Senate were able to pass an amendment a few months ago to a Digital Bill that will allow agreements to be signed by ARJEL with other countries of Europe to offer shared online poker liquidity. It was after this move that Coppolani began to speak with representative of Spain and Italy on the matter.
It was last week that talks involving each country were confirmed. Regulators of France, Spain and Italy met, informally, to discuss the option. An official statement was released on the matter which confirmed that an agreement was reached by each country to share poker liquidity online. The governments must give final approval and the details formalized before the option will begin. A goal has now been set for mid-2017 for an official agreement to be reached.
Players should still expect that sharing of player pools should take some time. Decisions have to be made and each government agree before the activity will actually be available. The technology used today is very advanced so it will not be surprising to see the process speed along once the appropriate agreements have been signed by all parties involved.