Scandal: Gambling Company Codere Allegedly Paid €680,000 to Push Out Competitors

^{Pictured: Cristóbal Montoro, former Minister of Finance of Spain}

Spanish gambling company Codere has found itself at the center of a corruption scandal, reports Focus Gaming News.

The operator is alleged to have made payments to the consulting firm Equipo Economico, founded by former Spanish Finance Minister Cristóbal Montoro.

Between 2008 and 2012, Codere reportedly transferred approximately €679,000 to Equipo Economico.

Spanish authorities suspect these payments were intended as compensation for lobbying efforts aimed at influencing legislation favorable to Codere and detrimental to foreign gambling operators.

Investigators believe that during reforms in Spain’s gambling industry, Equipo Economico may have exerted pressure on the government to restrict foreign operators’ access to the Spanish market—particularly through the introduction of additional taxes specifically targeting foreign gambling companies.

Former Spanish Justice Minister Rafael Catalá, who served as secretary and director of Codere from 2005 to 2011, is also reportedly linked to the scandal.

Authorities suspect that Catalá maintained close ties with Codere even after entering public office. Notably, in 2019, one year after leaving public service, Catalá rejoined Codere as a global consultant for institutional relations.

Gambling Park informs that the investigation is ongoing, and Codere has not yet issued any official comments regarding the allegations.