Online Gambling Continues to Gain Favour in Spain

The rapid expansion of internet access in Spain has been a key driver of the growth of online gambling as the number of active accounts continues to grow.

The gambling market is a major player in Spain’s economy. The Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ) has unveiled the financial performance of Spain’s online gambling market for the third quarter of 2024. 

 Spain’s Q3 2024 Online Gambling Market  Report

Spain’s gross gaming revenue (GGR) for the third quarter of 2024 amounted to €348.1 million ($366.5 million), representing a 14.4% increase compared to the same period in 2023 and a modest 0.5% rise over the preceding quarter.

The GGR breakdown by contributing market sector was as follows:

1. Casinos: Casinos emerged as the dominant contributor, generating €188 million, accounting for 54% of the total GGR.
2. Betting: Betting followed, bringing in €135.9 million or 39.1% of the total.
3. Poker: Poker contributed €20.5 million, contributing 5.9%. 
4. Bingo: Bingo added €3.7 million, the equivalent of 1.1% of the overall revenue for the period. 
5. Contests: No revenue was reported from contests for the third quarter of 2024

As of the third quarter of 2024, Spain hosts 77 licensed and regulated online gambling operators.

 Casinos and Betting Market Statistics

Across Spain’s 51 casinos, gross gaming revenue was up 17.3% year-on-year and 9.5% quarter-on-quarter.

1. Blackjack experienced the highest year-on-year growth among individual games, with a 49.4% surge.
2. Slot machines were following with a 28.5% rise.
3. Roulette saw a moderate 4.7% increase.

Quarter-on-quarter, slot machines surpassed blackjack in growth, rising by 13.7% compared to blackjack’s 12.4%.

 Poker and Bingo Market Statistics

Poker GGR in Q3 declined quarter-on-quarter and year-on-year, dropping 19.7% and 23.5%, respectively. This was driven by a considerable decline in poker tournament GGR, which fell by 29% quarter-on-quarter and 27% year-on-year.

Poker cash saw mixed results, with a year-on-year decrease but a quarterly increase.

Bingo saw slight GGR growth, up 0.7% year-on-year and 1.7% quarter-on-quarter.

Interesting Gambling Market Trends

Player deposits in the third quarter reached €1.1 billion, up 23.9% year over year and 4.6% quarter over quarter. Withdrawals followed a similar trend, totalling €802.2 million, up 30.3% year over year and 7.4% quarter over quarter.

During this quarter, 459,543 new accounts were activated, averaging 153,181 monthly. This is a 1.75-percent increase over the previous quarter and a substantial 42.4-percent rise over the same period in 2023. 

Active online gaming accounts total 1.44 million, representing a 33% year-on-year growth. 

Overall marketing expenses for the third quarter totalled €131.7 million - a significant 40.9 % increase over the previous year.

In conclusion, the online gambling market in Spain presents a positive outlook evidenced by impressive and sustained growth, a favourable regulatory environment and rising consumer interest that is sure to propel the industry to new heights.