The Spanish gambling market remains a competitive landscape and is continuing to thrive heading into 2026 as we take a deeper look at the trends behind the recent growth.
The regulated market continued on an upward trend during 2024 and that momentum continued in the data released for 2025, but there are still pitfalls to be avoided for operators looking to launch or increase their market share in Spain.
In this article we drill down into the data to highlight the headline figures, analyse player behaviour and identify the trends which can shape your strategy for iGaming success in 2026 and beyond.
Market overview
The online gambling market in Spain enjoyed a record year for revenue in 2024, according to data published by Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ). The key findings from the regulator’s annual summary highlighted the following key data for 2024:
Online GGR: €1.454 billion - increase of 17.61% year on year
Annual deposits: €4.58 billion (19.6% increase)
Annual withdrawals: €3.15 billion (19.7% increase)
Spain gambling market by segment:
| Category | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Casino | 50.23% |
| Betting | 41.86% |
| Poker | 6.88% |
| Bingo | 1.06% |
The GGR for betting of €608.85 million represented a 23.8% increase on the figures from 2023.
Player analysis
Active players: 1,991,550 - increase of 21.63% year on year
Gender: 83.15% male, 16.85% female
Age breakdown: 85.7% aged 18-45
Monthly average of new accounts: 151,898 - annual increase of 34.73%
Average annual spend per active player: €706 (€740 male/€538 female)
Busiest period for deposits: 7-8pm
Busiest period for withdrawals: 10-11pm
Sport catching casino
Sports betting is proving increasingly popular with Spanish bettors, with betting contributing 41.86% of the market’s overall GGR in 2024 compared to 39.77% the previous year and 37.38% in 2022.
Spanish players appear to be turning away from traditional betting activities such as horse racing, which suffered a 16.99% drop in GGR compared to 2023, and are increasingly focusing on in-play sports betting, which grew 24.05% year on year. Pre-match sports betting also rose by 23.69%, highlighting the importance of operators offering a mix of both pre-match and live odds.
While the sports betting market continues to grow, it is important to note that online casino still remains the biggest segment and generates more than half (50.23%) of the Spanish market’s GGR. A mix of both online casino and sports betting is an important part of any iGaming strategy to attract the biggest audience and capitalise on cross-sell opportunities.
Potential for mobile growth
The switch from land-based to online gambling has been much slower in Spain than in many other European countries. A recent report by the European Gaming & Betting Association showed the share of online gambling in Spain in 2023 was just 14.2%, compared to the highest of 68.3% in Sweden. Online betting now accounts for more than half of total GGR in 13 European countries, although the domination of land-based betting in Spain is similar to trends seen in other major markets such as Germany (22.6% online) and Italy (21.7%).
Retail betting remains an important part of the Spanish market but there is plenty of potential for online growth in the next few years for operators who have a mobile offering, given that around 97.5% of Spanish households owned at least one mobile phone in 2023. The number of smartphone users is expected to reach almost 45 million by 2029, according to Statista.
Mix of payment methods
A variety of deposit and withdrawal methods are used by Spanish players and operators should cater to a range of preferences. Bank cards account for almost three-quarters of deposits and just over half of withdrawals, while Ewallets are used for 11.78% and 13.18% of deposits and withdrawals respectively. Around a third of withdrawals are made by bank transfer.
| Payment method | Deposits | Withdrawals |
|---|---|---|
| Debit/credit cards | 73.16% | 50.71% |
| Ewallets | 11.78% | 13.18% |
| Bank transfers | 5.2% | 33.28% |
| Instant payment | 5.61% | 0% |
| Prepaid cards | 3.65% | 0.91% |
| Payment service provider | 0.12% | 0.14% |
| Other | 0.47% | 1.78% |
Soccer rules, esports on the rise
Football undoubtedly remains the most popular sport for Spanish gamblers to bet on, hardly a surprise given La Liga is one of the most watched leagues around the world. Real Madrid and Barcelona have huge fanbases and regularly reach the latter stages of the Champions League, ensuring regular betting spikes for Spanish operators throughout the domestic football season.
Tennis and basketball are also popular but the growth of esports should not be ignored, with Spain ranked inside the top 10 for the largest global gaming markets. In terms of titles, League of Legends is especially popular and Spain has a number of well-known esports organisations such as MAD Lions, Team Heretics and G2 Esports.
As the growth of esports betting continues, offering a strong esports vertical will become increasingly important for operators looking to attract the new generation of bettors.
Regulatory landscape
One of the biggest issues in the Spanish gambling industry in recent years has been the changes to marketing rules by which licensed operators must abide. Strict limits were introduced by Royal Decree 958/2020 in November 2020 with the aim of reducing exposure to gambling advertising by minors, but this was contested by the industry and partially overturned by the Supreme Court in April 2024.
The measures which were overturned related to the use of celebrities in gambling advertising, as well as the ban on marketing towards players who had an account for less than 30 days. Advertising on YouTube and social media aimed at users over the age of 18 is also now permitted. The ban on sports sponsorship remains though.
The consequence of the current regulations is that betting brands in Spain do not have the same visibility on football shirts and in stadiums as can be seen in some other European countries, but the reopening of some advertising channels produced a period of increased marketing spend and a return of welcome offers. Total spend on marketing was €526.3 million in 2024 - an increase of 30.4% - with bonuses accounting for €261.5 million of that total.
Marketing spend in 2024
| Category | Spend |
|---|---|
| Advertising | €203m |
| Affiliates | €56.3m |
| Bonuses | €261.5m |
| Sponsorship | €5.5m |
The changes to marketing rules perhaps explain the increase in active players but also why the Spanish market shows high churn, with 22% of new accounts only active for one month while just 17.82% were active all year. The data suggests that operators should focus not just on acquisition but also on player retention.
The Spanish market is regarded as having a robust framework which focuses on consumer protection and fair play. The DGOJ has carried out a crackdown and continues to block and sanction illegal operators, with thousands of domains having been blocked historically.
Unlicensed operators have been hit with multi-million euro fines while there have also been fines for breaches by licensed operators, highlighting the need for operators to remain compliant. Sanctions issued by DGOJ in the second half of 2024 totalled €77.4 million, with €75 million directed at 14 offshore companies found to be offering their services in Spain without a licence.
Impact on innovation
Clear licensing and active enforcement helps provide licensed operators with the confidence to invest in new products such as live betting features, payment rails, and risk models, as well as responsible gambling tools (limits, behavioural analytics, etc). The return of bonuses and the easing of advertising constraints in 2024 also accelerated UX and marketing innovation as operators rushed to take advantage of the more relaxed regulations.
There are still strict rules when it comes to advertising, sponsorship, and safer gambling which largely prevent large sponsorship deals and force operators to rely more on digital acquisition, affiliate networks, CRM and in-product retention rather than broadcast/kit sponsorship. This changes innovation from brand level to product level, with a greater focus on in-app features and personalisation.
Tips for growing an iGaming brand in Spain
The Spanish market continues to grow at an impressive rate, with 2024 showing strong growth and quarterly data in 2025 suggesting the upward trend will continue. There are numerous challenges for operators to overcome though so, based on Altenar’s knowledge of the market, here are our tips for sportsbook success…
Be mobile ready
Expect further expansion of mobile and in-play volumes as more players switch from land-based betting to gambling on their devices while simultaneously watching the live action. Spain lags behind the rest of Europe when it comes to online betting but this trend is unlikely to continue due to a digital-savvy population.
Flexible marketing methods needed
The industry hit back and overturned some of the stricter regulations around marketing but it remains to be seen for how long the current rules will be in place. Future policy swings cannot be ruled out, meaning an over-reliance on welcome bonuses could prove problematic at some point.
Focus on innovation
In a competitive market, brands that stand out and are seen to be offering something new to players stand the best chance of improving retention and growing market share. Expect increased use of live streaming, enriched micro-markets and personalised in-app offers to improve the UX and ensure your site becomes an immersive engagement platform.
Cost in compliance
Increased fines and active domain blocking by the regulator has raised the bar when it comes to compliance. It means higher costs for operators but the penalties for not adhering to the regulations are even higher. Ensure compliance teams are well funded, or partner with a sportsbook provider who can demonstrate a proven track record in the Spanish market.
Encourage loyalty with cross-vertical play
A significant segment of online gamblers engages in cross-vertical play, often leveraging operator loyalty programmes to maximise value, with 30-40% of online casino players also placing sports bets on the same platform. Players can be encouraged by implementing loyalty points or cashback rewards across casino and sports betting e.g. allow points earned in casino to be redeemed in sports betting.
Get in touch
Are you looking to launch or grow a brand in Spain? Altenar has years of experience working with a wide range of operators in the region, and our track record of success highlights the local expertise and knowledge which helps us form successful partnerships. Book a meeting with our team to learn more.
DISCLAIMER
This information in this article is not intended to be legal advice and is solely extracted from open sources. It should not be relied upon as a substitute for professional legal advice, and Altenar does not accept any liability for its use.
