Spanish Online Gambling Industry Analysis

The gambling market in Spain is constantly evolving, with new regulations being introduced regularly. In 2019, a new set of regulations were implemented to protect players and promote responsible gambling.

The online gambling industry is experiencing continuous growth. The second quarter of 2019 saw a total gross gaming revenue (GGR) of €306.6 million. This is an increase of 6.68% compared to the first quarter of the same year.

A Look at the Quarter

Among the different forms of online gambling, sports betting claims the highest portion of the GGR. It took up 48.5% of the total. But, it observed a decline of 6.69% from the previous quarter. Simultaneously, though, it is a notable rise of 27.57% from the same quarter in the previous year.

In contrast, horse racing bets soared by 22.67%. This form of betting is gaining popularity among Spanish gamblers. However, other odds bets didn’t follow the same uphill trend. These saw a decrease of 15.08%. The best payout was seen in horse racing, which attracted more players.

Diving into Poker and Marketing Spend

Poker continues to be a mixed bag in Spain. With a contribution of €25.7 million to the GGR, it was the third highest segment. This amount is 8.4% of the total GGR. However, it was a 5.84% decrease from the previous quarter. On the brighter side, it’s a 27.57% increase compared to the same quarter last year. Tournament poker saw a decrease of 2.77% and cash games lost 13.58%. But, year-on-year, both showed positive growth of 38.12% and 4.85%, respectively.

The gambling industry also spent a whopping €96.64 million on marketing. This amount covered affiliate expenses, sponsorships, promotions, and advertising. Affiliate expenses alone cost €12.29 million. Sponsorships took €1.22 million, promotions €48.96 million, and advertising €34.17 million. Many of these promotions even included ‘no wagering bonus‘ offers to attract new players.

Player Activity Report

The number of active gaming accounts averaged 1,134,993 per month. This is a slight decrease of 2.04% compared to the previous quarter. Yet, it’s an 11.43% increase over the same quarter of the prior year. New accounts averaged 102,804 users per month. This is a quarter-over-quarter drop of 7.71% and a year-on-year dip of 2.96%. Despite the fluctuation in numbers, the industry continues to attract new players every month. This could be due to the ongoing promotions and advertising efforts of operators.