Spain’s gambling industry maintained its growth in 2024, with gains recorded across online casinos, state lotteries, and physical betting terminals. According to the latest figures from the Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego, total Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) across licensed activities amounted to over €8 billion. Even as digital gambling keeps growing, places like betting shops, casinos, and bars still play a big role in Spain’s gambling culture.
In 2020, Spain introduced a Royal Decree restricting gambling advertising, banning welcome bonuses, limiting ad slots to early morning hours, and barring celebrity endorsements. The impact was immediate: new account sign-ups dropped by over 50% and marketing spend plummeted. However, in 2024, a Supreme Court ruling overturned key parts of the decree, leading to a sharp rebound in advertising and player registrations.
Online gambling expands as casino games overtake sports betting
Online gambling licensed at the national level saw a GGR of €1,453.6 million in 2024, with casino games emerging as the leading segment for the first time. Online casino revenue reached €729.8 million, accounting for 50.2% of the state-level online GGR, ahead of sports betting, which brought in €608.8 million (41.9%). Online poker represented a smaller but still notable slice at €100.1 million (6.9%).
When including both state and autonomous licences, the total GGR for online gambling in Spain reached €1,490 million, up from €1,270.4 million in 2023. Players staked a total of €35.4 billion in online games last year, from €32.2 billion the year before.
State lotteries dominate overall gambling revenue
The biggest single contributor to the total GGR remains the “Juego reservado y apuestas del Estado”, or reserved state gambling, which includes the Sociedad Estatal Loterías y Apuestas del Estado (SELAE) and ONCE (the national organisation for the blind). This category accounted for a staggering €5,454.9 million in 2024.
SELAE alone generated €4,139.7 million, representing 75.9% of this category. ONCE contributed €1,253.3 million, making up 23%. The regional lottery operators in the autonomous communities collectively added just €25.1 million, or 0.5%.
In terms of money staked, Spanish players spent €13.15 billion on lottery games in 2024, with SELAE again leading the pack at €10.2 billion in ticket sales. ONCE saw €2.8 billion in sales, while regional operators accounted for €34.8 million.
The share of lotteries in the overall gambling market has remained relatively stable. SELAE’s contribution to total lottery GGR was 75.6% in 2024, identical to the previous year.
Casino growth driven by online play and regional gains
Casino games, both online and offline, continued to grow. The total GGR from casino gaming reached €1,120 million in 2024, up from €1,001 million in 2023. Players staked €23.6 billion on casino games, a 9.4% increase on the previous year.
Online casino revenue, regulated at the state level, stood at €729.8 million. Meanwhile, regionally licensed (mostly physical) casino games generated €390 million, reflecting modest growth from €376.3 million in 2023.
Among physical casinos, machine-based games brought in €208 million, while table games contributed €182 million. The number of licensed casinos stood at 49 nationwide, down from 50 the previous year. The regions with the highest casino GGR included Catalonia (€104 million), Madrid (€86.9 million), and the Valencian Community (€51.3 million).
Betting remains strong but shows signs of rebalancing
Total GGR from betting activities in 2024 was €1,125.1 million, with €440.8 million generated under regional licences, €608.8 million through state-level online betting, and €75.4 million from SELAE’s betting products, according to the report.
Total stakes reached €12.9 billion in 2024, compared to €11.9 billion in 2023. State-level betting alone accounted for €10.3 billion in player stakes.
In-person betting was on the rise too, especially in the Valencian Community, where GGR hit €71.2 million, and Madrid, which brought in €73.3 million. Other regions like Andalusia, Galicia, and the Basque Country also continued to show strong activity in the retail betting sector.
Spain’s gambling footprint remains deeply rooted
In 2024, nearly 30,000 betting terminals were in operation across gaming salons, hospitality venues, and bingo halls. The overwhelming majority (over 15,000) were located in gaming salons.
Hospitality venues continue to serve as the backbone of physical gambling infrastructure. More than 100,000 establishments hosted gambling machines, with notable concentrations in regions like Andalusia (16,109), Catalonia (15,502), and the Valencian Community (10,448).
