Online Gaming Ad Spend Surges in Spain

Online Gambling Advertising Soars in Spain, Fueled by Regulatory Shifts

Spain’s online gambling sector has seen a significant surge in advertising investment during the first quarter of 2025. Online casinos are the primary driver behind this growth. Changes in regulations have allowed for greater advertising freedom, helping the market recover to investment levels similar to those before restrictions were imposed. Key data and insights into this trend were recently published by the Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ), Spain’s gambling regulator.

A Growing Sector: Key Online Gambling Data

Advertising Investment Figures

Advertising investment in the sector reached 203 million euros in the first three months of 2025. This represents a 42% increase compared to the same period last year, according to DGOJ figures. This rebound solidifies a recovery trend that began in mid-2024, when some restrictions from previous legislation started to ease.

Comparison with Previous Periods

This level of investment puts the sector on par with 2019 and 2020 levels, before the Real Decreto de Comunicaciones Comerciales (Royal Decree on Commercial Communications) came into effect. This decree significantly reduced the visibility of gambling operators. During the most restrictive years, marketing budgets were almost exclusively allocated to owned channels or international markets. Now, with more room to maneuver, brands are reinvesting in traditional and digital media.

Regulation and Online Advertising: Legal Impact on the Sector

The Garzón Law and Its Original Objective

The decree, driven by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, aimed to reduce minors’ exposure to online gambling. Among other measures, it limited advertisements to late-night hours and prohibited acquisition bonuses. It also established strict restrictions on sports sponsorships and social media advertising.

Partial Annulment: Consequences and Reactions

In late 2024, the Supreme Court annulled several articles of the decree, arguing that they violated fundamental rights. As a result, operators resumed digital marketing campaigns, sponsorships, and promotions. Although authorities maintain certain limitations, the industry has found new ways to communicate effectively within the legal framework.

Associations like Jdigital have emphasized that the new landscape favors fairer competition between licensed operators in Spain and those operating from other countries without national regulation. This can help strengthen legal and controlled gambling.

Most Active Online Gambling Segments in Advertising

Online Casino: The Main Driver of Investment

Online casinos are leading the advertising recovery. Their strategy focuses on welcome bonuses, regular promotions, and affiliate programs. There is also an increase in investment in high-impact audiovisual content, such as educational videos about game mechanics or campaigns focused on responsible entertainment.

The growth of this vertical is partly due to the rise of modalities like live roulette, which allows for a more immersive experience. This format has improved user retention time and encouraged greater investment in loyalty programs.

Sports Betting and Poker: Evolution and Trends

Sports betting has gained prominence with the return of sponsorships to football clubs. The most publicized case has been that of Atlético de Madrid, but there are other agreements in minor leagues and regional competitions. Advertising for these brands is shifting towards interactive formats, such as real-time predictions and gamification within apps.

Online poker, on the other hand, maintains a more contained but stable investment. Campaigns focus on the community and the development of multiplayer tournaments, emphasizing strategy over chance, which allows them to differentiate themselves from other formats.

The Role of Online Advertising in Repositioning Digital Gambling

Most Used Marketing Channels

The most used channels include programmatic advertising, social media, influencers, and sports sponsorship agreements. These tools allow for precise audience segmentation and adaptation of messages to different profiles. Sponsored content on platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Twitch is gaining ground over traditional banners.

Programmatic advertising, in particular, is positioning itself as one of the main ways to maximize conversion, thanks to the use of prediction and automation algorithms. Campaigns are adjusted in real-time according to user behavior, allowing for greater efficiency in advertising spending.

Recent Campaign Examples

One example of innovation is the use of gamified content on social media, such as real-time contests or knowledge tests with symbolic rewards, which reinforce engagement without directly promoting gambling with money.

Future Perspectives of Online Gambling in Spain

With a regulatory framework under review, the sector faces a growth horizon conditioned by new political decisions. Greater institutional and social scrutiny is expected, with a focus on protecting vulnerable groups and the sustainability of the business model. New technologies are also anticipated that could change the way users interact with platforms, such as artificial intelligence for the personalization of the gaming experience or augmented reality. In fact, in sectors as diverse as logistics or food, AI-based solutions are already being applied to improve profitability and sustainability.

From an economic point of view, the normalization of advertising can provide a boost for media outlets, agencies, and content creators, by opening new revenue streams. However, the social debate around the impact of gambling will remain present, which will force the industry to maintain high standards of responsibility.