Online gambling group Paddy Power is in the process of setting up a Spanish language betting website, which should be ready by September in time for the start of the Spanish football season.
While the Irish bookmaker already has websites in the UK, Ireland and Germany, these are primarily focussed on horse racing. The Spanish site is set to provide more football-orientated chances to lay a bet.
Paddy Power says it is already in the process of recruiting Spanish-speaking employees to run the site and has hinted that the opening of a number of high street bookies around Madrid may also be on the cards.
William Hill and Betbull have already started the trend for expanding into Spain, where economists reckon that $30.53 billion is spent on gambling every year. Educated guesses predict that this will rise to $52.5 billion by 2010, while online betting in the country is forecast to be worth over $5.7 billion by that time.
Chief executive of Paddy Power, Patrick Kennedy, has also stated that the bookmakers are looking to expand into other areas of the EU, most notably Italy, Poland and Portugal.
Online gambling group Paddy Power is in the process of setting up a Spanish language betting website, which should be ready by September in time for the start of the Spanish football season.