As this evolved, the government saw the growing need to regulate online betting. The laws began changing in 2008 when legal betting shops that targeted Spaniards opened in Madrid. Online betting was unregulated and open, so players used websites such as Unibet and BWIN to place bets online. For decades you could find betting shops that were set up to take wagers from Brits, and while illegal, no one bothered with them. The Spanish government has had a relaxed stance on betting for many years.