Spain Online Gaming GGR Rises 31% as Betting Surges
Spain.- 25 September 2026 | www.zonadeazar.com Spain’s regulated online gambling market recorded strong growth during the second quarter of 2026, generating €539.18 million in gross gaming revenue, GGR.
The figure represented a 31.16% year-on-year increase and an 18.66% rise compared with the previous quarter.
€539.18 Million in GGR
The figures were published in the quarterly report from Spain’s Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling, DGOJ.
The results confirm a significant acceleration in regulated online activity between April and June.
Betting Drives Growth
Betting recorded the strongest expansion.
The vertical generated €253.59 million, representing 47.03% of total online GGR.
47.46% Year-on-Year Growth
Betting revenue increased 47.46% compared with Q2 2025.
Compared with the first quarter of 2026, growth reached 44.93%.
Conventional Sports Betting
Conventional fixed-odds sports betting recorded the strongest quarterly movement.
Revenue increased 83.57% compared with the previous quarter.
Live Betting
In-play sports betting also expanded.
Quarter-on-quarter growth reached 15.36%.
2026 FIFA World Cup
The reporting period overlapped with part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The tournament provided a high-intensity sporting calendar and contributed to stronger betting activity.
Other Fixed-Odds Betting
Other fixed-odds betting categories posted more limited quarterly growth.
Revenue increased by 0.57%.
Horse Racing
Horse-racing fixed-odds betting moved in the opposite direction.
The vertical fell 34.17% quarter on quarter.
Casino Remains Largest Vertical
Casino retained the largest share of Spain’s online market.
It generated €261.25 million, equivalent to 48.45% of total GGR.
Casino Grows 20.61%
Casino GGR increased 20.61% year on year.
Quarter-on-quarter growth stood at 5.56%.
Slots Continue to Expand
Online slots remained a major growth driver.
Slot GGR increased 22.4% compared with the same period of 2025.
Quarterly Slot Growth
Compared with Q1, slot revenue increased 6.98%.
This reinforces the product’s importance within Spain’s online casino market.
Roulette and Blackjack
Other casino categories also recorded quarterly gains.
Roulette increased 3.48%, while blackjack rose 7.13%.
Poker
Poker generated €21.03 million, accounting for 3.9% of total GGR.
The vertical increased 10.06% year on year but fell 25.65% quarter on quarter.
Cash Poker
Cash poker revenue declined 10.24% compared with Q1.
However, it remained 5.99% higher year on year.
Poker Tournaments
Tournament poker fell 31.25% quarter on quarter.
Compared with Q2 2025, however, tournament revenue increased 12.09%.
Bingo
Bingo generated €3.3 million, representing just 0.61% of online GGR.
Revenue declined 8.71% quarter on quarter and 2.34% year on year.
Player Deposits Rise
Player deposits increased 22.76% compared with the previous year.
Quarter-on-quarter growth was 3.94%.
Withdrawals
Withdrawals increased 16.66% year on year.
Compared with the previous quarter, however, they declined 1.75%.
More Than Two Million Active Accounts
Average monthly active gaming accounts reached 2,038,092.
This represented an 8.2% quarterly increase and 20.13% year-on-year growth.
New Accounts
Average monthly new accounts stood at 253,626.
That was 40.27% higher than in the previous quarter.
Year-on-Year Decline in New Registrations
Despite the strong quarterly increase, the average number of new accounts was 50.39% lower year on year.
This highlights a contrast between current engagement levels and the pace of new customer registration recorded in 2025.
Licensed Operators
Spain has 77 licensed online operators.
Of these, 61 hold at least one active specific licence.
Operators by Vertical
The market includes:
- 52 casino operators.
- 42 betting operators.
- 10 poker operators.
- 4 bingo operators.
- 2 contest operators.
€194.46 Million in Marketing Spend
Total marketing expenditure during the quarter reached €194.46 million.
This represented a 17.96% year-on-year increase.
Promotions
Promotional spend reached €91.25 million.
It was the largest marketing category.
Advertising
Advertising expenditure totalled €80.26 million.
Year-on-year growth reached 27.57%.
Affiliate Spend
Affiliate expenditure reached €20.07 million.
This category increased 43.47% year on year.
Sponsorship
Sponsorship expenditure stood at €2.89 million.
Unlike advertising and affiliate investment, sponsorship declined 41.7% year on year.
Promotions Also Increase
Promotional expenditure rose 9.93% compared with Q2 2025.
The figures indicate continued intense commercial competition across the regulated market.
Betting Closes Gap With Casino
The sharp increase in betting has significantly narrowed the gap with casino.
Together, the two verticals now account for more than 95% of Spain’s total online GGR.
Industry Context
The second quarter benefited from several factors:
- Strong sports activity.
- The FIFA World Cup.
- Growth in active accounts.
- Higher marketing investment.
- Continued online casino expansion.
Next Steps and Impact
Future quarters will show how much of the betting surge was driven by the exceptional World Cup calendar and how much reflects a longer-term structural trend.
For now, Spain’s regulated online market is accelerating strongly, with sports betting growing faster than every other major vertical and closing in on casino as the country’s largest source of online GGR.
Editó: @fonta
