Spanish Online Gambling Market Booms in 2024

Spain’s online gambling sector experienced significant growth in 2024, according to the Annual Report on Online Gambling released by the Directorate General for Gambling Regulation (DGOJ). Key indicators across the board showed substantial increases, highlighting the industry’s continued expansion within the country.

Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) reached €1,454.59 million, marking a 17.61% increase compared to the previous year. This impressive figure underscores the growing popularity of online gambling among Spanish consumers.

The number of active players also saw a considerable surge. Registered users climbed to 1,992,889, a 21.71% rise from 2023. On average, there were 1,433,715 active accounts each month, with 151,898 new accounts created monthly. This represents a substantial 34.73% year-on-year growth in new registrations.

Casino and Betting Drive Growth

A closer look at the data reveals that casino games and sports betting were the primary drivers of this growth. The casino segment generated €730.71 million, accounting for 50.23% of the total GGR. This represents an annual growth rate of 16.96%. Slot machines were particularly popular, making up 64.62% of the online casino revenue and growing by 22.80%.

Live roulette (+10.41%) and Blackjack (+3.80%) also experienced growth, while traditional roulette saw a decrease of 8.46%.

The betting segment contributed €608.85 million to the GGR, with a growth rate of 23.80%. This was largely fueled by fixed-odds sports betting, both traditional (+23.69%) and live (+24.05%).

While bingo showed positive growth of 3.96%, poker experienced a decline of 4.99%, primarily due to decreases in tournament poker (-3.48%) and cash poker (-8.97%). Contests saw a dramatic decline of 98.53%.

Record Spending on Marketing

Another notable trend was the significant increase in advertising investment. Total marketing expenditure reached €526.30 million, a 30.36% increase compared to 2023. This spending was allocated as follows:

• Advertising: €203 million
• Promotions: €261.53 million
• Affiliation: €56.32 million
• Sponsorship: €5.45 million

This surge in marketing spending highlights the efforts of operators to establish themselves in an increasingly competitive market. The focus is clearly on attracting and retaining users within a regulated environment.

The report paints a picture of a thriving online gambling market in Spain, with record-breaking figures in both revenue and player numbers.