How to direct traffik to online betting and gambling in Spain?

Publication date: 13 Feb 2025

Spain is one of the most successful gambling markets, leading by many indicators. There are excellent conditions for the development of online casinos and bookmakers. However, the main advantage is an active and solvent audience. In a new review on 3S.INFO we’ll take a closer look at how to effectively drive traffic to betting and gambling in Spain. 

How is gambling regulated in Spain?

Law 13/2011 of 27.05.2011 “On the regulation of gambling” (Spanish Gambling Law) establishes the regulatory framework for gambling in Spain. Each type of gambling destination is regulated by the relevant decrees.

What types of gambling are permitted in Spain?

What gambling is allowed in Spain?

The regulatory body for gambling in Spain is the Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ), which is under the jurisdiction of the Spanish Ministry of Finance. To organize betting or gambling in Spain, one of the following licenses must be obtained:

• A general license for all types of authorized gambling is issued for 10 years and can be renewed for another 10 years.
• A special license allows an operator with a general license to offer certain games (poker, roulette, baccarat, slots for gambling and fixed odds betting, horse racing for betting). The validity period for this license is from one to five years. It is important to note that the loss of a general license automatically results in the loss of the associated individual licenses.
• The legislation specifies that licenses issued by other states will not be valid in Spain.

The minimum share capital required for a company with a general license ranges from €60,000 to €100,000, depending on the type of license.

The list of legal operators of casinos and betting shops in Spain can be found in a designated section on the website. According to data from February 2025, there are currently 78 operators holding gambling licenses in Spain. Some of the well-known global brands on the market include 888, BetWay, Betfair, LeoVegas, and Marathonbet. 

In the same section, there is a filter that allows you to check the address of the site and verify the presence of the operator’s license.

All online casinos and bookmakers legally operating in Spain are required to host their sites in the .es domain. In addition, they are obligated to display a special DGOJ Safe Gambling logo. The list of authorized sites of casinos and bookmakers in Spain can be found in a dedicated section (one operator may own several sites).

According to the results of 2024 (Research Blask) in the gambling market in Spain, there are 105 gaming brands. Bet365 is the leader among them with gross revenue of 378 million dollars, followed by Codere and Sportium, which earned 100 million dollars.

Penalties for illegal gambling and betting in Spain

The fine for gambling services without a license is 50 million euros. 

Advertising, sponsorship, or promotion of illegal gambling in any form can result in a fine of up to 1 million euros.

By the end of 2024, Spain had the highest operator fines worldwide, a ranking that also included Australia, the Netherlands, Sweden, the USA, the UK, Finland, Italy, and Canada. According to Gambling Industry News, the regulator imposed fines totaling $184.4 million, primarily due to operating without local licenses. 

How are illegal gambling and betting sites blocked in Spain?

There are other precautions that can be taken to prosecute illegal gambling, such as blocking access to illegal sites and payment methods.

The DGOJ is authorized to prosecute illegal gambling services offered in Spain.

How much money is made from gambling in Spain? 

According to the official website of the Spanish regulator, DGOJ, the gross gaming revenue (GGR) from online betting and gambling in Spain amounted to 348.1 million euros in the third quarter of 2024, marking an increase of 14.41% compared to the figures for the third quarter of 2023. Online casinos accounted for approximately 54% (€187.99 million), sports betting 39% (€135.92 million), poker 6% (€20.52 million), and bingo 1% (€3.67 million). 

According to Data AI data for 2023, Spain, with a figure of $475 million, was among the top 20 countries with the highest player spending on mobile gambling apps.

Blask’s research shows that by the end of 2024, Spain will be among the top 6 countries in the world with the highest revenues from iGaming. Experts estimate that eGGR (Estimated Gross Gaming Revenue) will reach 1.5 billion dollars, and eFTD (Estimated First Time Depositors) will amount to 4.1 million dollars.

The gambling market’s primary advantage, despite the limited competition among operators, is its solvent audience.

(Read further about the target audience of gambling in Spain).

How much gambling taxes are paid in Spain? 

Monthly online casinos and bookmakers that have obtained a Spanish license are subject to a 20% tax on GGR.

For players, taxation is calculated based on income and winnings.

• For income exceeding €22,000, winnings exceeding €300 must be reported in the tax return.
• At winnings from 60 thousand euros per year it is necessary to pay 45% tax, from 35200 euros – 37%, from 20200 euros – 30%, from 12450 euros – 24%, up to 12 450 euros – 19%.

How to advertise betting and gambling in Spain? 

Article 37 of the Royal Decree on Advertising (October 2020) establishes regulations concerning the promotion of gambling. From 2021 to 2024, the country implemented stringent regulations regarding the promotion of casinos and bookmakers. However, in the spring of 2024, following a complaint lodged by the Association of Digital Games (Jdigital) to the court, several restrictions were lifted. 

The updated regulations now permit the promotion of online gambling and betting activities in Spain. the following changes have been made, which allow to

• Target advertising on bookmaker and casino websites to new customers. Previously, there was a ban for accounts registered less than 30 days ago. 
• Place gambling advertisements on social networks and video hosting sites (YouTube, TikTok, Twitch, Kick, Dailymotion). The main condition is that the advertisement must be aimed at the audience over 18 years of age. 
• Use images of celebrities in advertising (the list of famous Spanish athletes to promote betting can be found further on).   
• Use in advertising the attributes of economic success and prosperity: money, luxury goods, jewelry, cars, luxury homes.

How are residents of Spain attracted to casino and bookmaker sites? 

The Kingdom of Spain is a country in the southwest of Europe. 

As of 2024, there are 47.9 million people living in Spain. The average age is 45 years old. The average life expectancy is 83 years. 

The largest autonomous regions are Catalonia, Madrid (which is not only a city but also a region), Andalusia and Valencia. The largest cities are the capital Madrid (more than 3 million inhabitants), Barcelona (1.6 million inhabitants), Valencia (about 800 thousand inhabitants), Seville (700 million inhabitants). 

The official currency is the Euro. 

The main official language is Spanish.  Catalan, Galician and Basque are also official in their regions. 

The average monthly wage is around 1750 euros.

The predominant religion is Catholicism, although there is a growing diversity of other faiths, including Islam and Protestantism. 

Approximately 94% of the population has free access to the Internet.

Spaniards are big gamblers. According to the regulator (Q3 2024 report)

• The amount of deposits in 3 months amounted to 1.14 billion euros and showed a year-on-year growth of 23.87%. 
• Every month, online casinos and betting sites registered about 153 thousand new accounts (only profiles with at least one deposit are taken into account). At the same time, the growth is 42% compared to the same period in 2023.  
• In total, the average number of active users of sites with gambling in Spain is about 1 million people. 

According to the Blask study, at the end of 2024, the average income of 30% of players will be between 21 and 32 thousand dollars a month, which corresponds to the high purchasing power of the audience. 

According to a study published in February 2025 by the Parliamentary Socialist Group (SPG), 21.5% of students aged 14 to 18 years old gambled for money online or in person. Consequently, on January 27, 2025, Spain’s Joint Commission for the Study of Addiction approved amendments to tighten identity verification rules.

Spain now requires online gambling operators to conduct identity verification in accordance with know-your-customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) regulations.

What casino games do residents of Spain choose? 

The most popular online casino games among Spaniards are  

• Slots; 
• Live Roulette;
• Poker;
• Cash Games;
• Classic Roulette;
• Blackjack. 

This conclusion can be drawn from the GGR analysis for the third quarter of 2024, published on the website of the regulator. At the same time, it is interesting to note that classic roulette, poker and cash games showed a negative trend compared to the same period in 2023. 

Which sports are popular in Spain?

According to the DGOJ, at the end of 2024, sports betting will have received the most money from live and pre-match betting, with 51.9 million euros.

1. Football is by far the most popular sport in Spain, and La Liga is one of the top leagues in the world. Real Madrid and Barcelona are football clubs that have fans all over the world. The Spanish national team, La Roja, has won the 2010 FIFA World Cup and the UEFA European Championship in 1964, 2008, 2012 and 2024. The football culture is deep-rooted and major matches are national events. 
2. Basketball is the second most popular sport in Spain, and the ACB (Spain’s top basketball league) is considered one of the best in Europe. The Spanish national basketball team is very successful and regularly competes at the highest international level. They have won several European Championships and the World Basketball Championships in 2006 and 2019. Famous players: Stars such as Po Gasol, Marc Gasol and Ricky Rubio have boosted the sport’s popularity, and several Spanish players have also made a name for themselves in the NBA. 
3. Tennis is widely played in Spain due to the strong tradition of the sport and the success of Spanish players in international tournaments. Famous players: Rafael Nadal is one of the most popular sports figures in Spain and has won numerous Grand Slam titles. Other players such as Carlos Alcaraz and Garbiñe Muguruza have a large and loyal following. Spain hosts several international tennis events such as the Madrid Open.  According to Entain for 2025, tennis in Spain will be one of the most important niches for sports betting.
4. Motorsports (Formula 1 and MotoGP). Fernando Alonso, a two-time Formula One World Champion, has made the race popular in Spain. The Spanish Grand Prix is an annual event held at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and attracts many local fans. 
5. Handball is very popular in Spain at both professional and amateur levels. The Spanish ASOBAL league is the top handball league in Europe. National success: The Spanish national team won the World Handball Championship. 
6. Cycling is popular in Spain, largely due to the country’s varied landscapes, which provide excellent terrain for both professional and recreational cycling. Spain hosts the Vuelta a España, one of the three Grand Tours of cycling, along with the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia. The event attracts international attention and considerable local support. 
7. Despite the controversy, bullfighting is deeply rooted in Spanish culture, especially in regions such as Andalusia and Madrid. Although less popular with the younger generation and banned in some regions such as Catalonia, bullfighting remains a traditional and symbolic event in many regions.

What payment facilities are available in Spain? 

Local payment systems include PAYCOMET and Euro 6000. 

The world’s most popular payment systems are available in Spain for depositing and withdrawing winnings:

• Visa and Mastercard systems. 
• The most popular e-wallet in Spain is PayPal. Other popular wallets include Apple Pay, Google Pay and Amazon Pay. Skrill and Neteller are also available to users in Spain.
• International payment services that cater to the Spanish population include Stripe and 2Checkout. 
• Many Spaniards use apps that allow them to pay by bank transfer. The Bizum application, for example, works with all Spanish banks.
• The SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area) system is actively used. 

Movistar is the largest mobile phone operator in Spain. Spaniards also use the services of Orange, Vodafone, Yoigo, Pepephone, MásMóvil and Digi. 

Cryptocurrency in Spain is regulated by law: citizens can buy, store, sell and use it as a means of payment. The main condition is to comply with the rules and pay taxes. 

Which betting and gambling creatives are used in Spain?

1. To attract Spanish users to online casinos and betting sites, it is important to combine customized marketing strategies with an understanding of cultural and regulatory content. What’s worth considering?
2. Localized content and language: Ensure that the website, promotions and customer service are available in Spanish. Using regional dialects, such as Catalan in Catalonia, can also increase local appeal. Content should reflect local interests, including sports popular in Spain such as football (especially La Liga), basketball and Formula 1. 
3. Cultural promotions and events: Create exclusive promotions in honor of Spanish holidays or sporting events. For example, special offers dedicated to La Liga, the Spanish Grand Prix or important football matches. 
4. Mobile optimization and applications: Take into account the high use of mobile devices in Spain. It is essential that the site is optimized for mobile devices and has an easy-to-navigate interface. 
5. Transparent payment methods and responsible gaming: Make sure that popular Spanish payment methods such as Bizum, PayPal or credit/debit cards are available. This will build trust among users. 
6. Spain is famous for its lively festivals like La Tomatina (the last Wednesday in August), San Fermin (July 6-14). These events symbolize the Spanish love of vibrant celebrations. Advertising campaigns can convey this energy by incorporating colorful visuals and festive themes that are so close to the Spanish people. Christmas and New Year’s Eve are ideal times for promotions as Spaniards are in high spirits and have more free time for leisure activities such as betting and online gaming. Special attention should be paid to Semana Santa (Holy Week) and other religious holidays. During these times it is best to avoid openly advertised gambling.
7. Spaniards are often more motivated by experiences (such as travel vouchers or tickets to sporting events) than by material goods. Raffles that offer VIP tickets to Real Madrid or Barça matches will be very attractive to bettors. Similarly, Spaniards may be interested in rewards with local culinary references (gourmet dinners or baskets), as this nation is very proud of its regional culinary and wine traditions. 

Which traffic sources are popular in Spain?

According to the StatCounter website for the last year (January 2024 to January 2025), the following are popular in Spain 

• Social networks: Facebook* (87.91%), Instagram* (6.08%), Pinterest (2.71%), Twitter (1.79%), YouTube (0.92%), Reddit (0.26%).
• Search engines: Google (95.3%), Bing (3.37%), Yahoo! (0.9%), DuckDuckGo (0.36%), Ecosia (0.13%), Yandex (0.11%).
• Mobile takes 58.95% of the market, desktop – 39.14%. 
• The most popular models of mobile devices are Xiaomi (28.25%), Samsung (27.73%), Apple (22.89%), Oppo (6.32%), Huawei (2.53%).
• Most popular mobile browsers are Chrome (73.89%), Safari (20.01%), Samsung Internet (4.48%), Opera (0.53%), Firefox (0.52%). The most popular desktop browsers are Chrome (72.63%), Safari (6.93%), Firefox (6.11%), Opera (4.5%).

(Facebook and Instagram are blocked in Russia by court order).

In Spain, all the conditions are created to successfully pour on betting and gambling. The main advantages: clear and detailed legislation, loyal gambling advertising rules, active and wealthy audience. 3SNET offers the best offers from casinos and bookmakers in Spain who are waiting for quality traffic and are willing to pay for it.