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Spain’s regulated online gambling industry added another strong quarter to its recent growth streak, with operators generating €454.1 million in gross gaming revenue during the first three months of 2026.
The headline figure marks a 13.9% increase from the same period last year, when revenue stood at €398.1 million. Yet beneath the overall growth, the market is changing shape. Casino games continue to pull further ahead of sports betting, while gamblers are increasingly shifting toward live, in-play wagering rather than traditional pre-match bets.
Casino Tightens Its Grip on the Market
More than half of all online gambling revenue in Spain now comes from casino products.
The casino segment produced €247.7 million during the quarter, accounting for 54.5% of total market revenue. Year-on-year growth reached 21.7%, making it the fastest-growing major vertical in the sector.
Much of that expansion came from slots and live roulette. Both products posted gains exceeding 22%, reinforcing a trend that has become increasingly visible in Spain’s regulated market over recent years. Casino operators have steadily expanded their live gaming offerings, while slot products continue attracting a broad player base.
The result further widens the gap between casino gaming and sports betting, which has traditionally been the dominant revenue source in many European online gambling markets.
Spain’s licensing structure reflects that shift. Of the 77 licensed operators in the market, 64 currently hold at least one active licence across gambling categories, with casino licences representing the largest share.
Sports Betting Revenue Holds Up Despite Changing Habits
Sports betting remained Spain’s second-largest online gambling segment, generating €174.4 million and representing 38.4% of total gross gaming revenue.
Growth was noticeably slower than in casino, rising 5.1% compared with the same quarter a year earlier.
The more revealing story lies inside the betting category itself.
Live betting revenue jumped by 34.4%, suggesting players are increasingly placing wagers while events are underway. At the same time, pre-match betting revenue fell by 18.2%, pointing to a significant behavioural shift among customers.
That trend has implications beyond simple revenue figures. In-play betting typically creates more frequent engagement and can generate higher betting volumes, making it a strategically important area for operators.
Overall betting revenue also faced tougher comparisons against the final quarter of 2025, when a busier sports calendar helped boost activity. As a result, the market recorded a 6.4% quarter-on-quarter decline despite its annual growth.
Poker Continues Recovering
Poker delivered €28.2 million in revenue, up 10.8% from a year earlier.
The increase was supported by growth in both tournament formats and cash games, extending a recovery that follows a weaker period for the vertical.
Bingo remained largely unchanged. Revenue slipped marginally to €3.6 million, leaving it as the smallest segment in Spain’s regulated online gambling market.
Marketing Spend Climbs Back Up
One of the more striking figures in the regulator’s data concerns marketing activity.
Operators spent €184.7 million on promotions, advertising, affiliate partnerships and sponsorships during the quarter, a 12% increase from a year earlier.
Promotional offers and bonuses accounted for €91 million, while advertising spending reached €73.85 million. Affiliate marketing generated €17.4 million in expenditure, with sponsorship activity making up the remaining €2.6 million.
The increase continues a broader recovery in marketing investment that began after parts of Spain’s strict gambling advertising framework were overturned by the Supreme Court.
Earlier restrictions introduced under Royal Decree 958/2020 had sharply limited advertising opportunities, promotional offers and bonus campaigns. Research examining that period found declines in new player registrations, betting activity and marketing expenditure.
Several of those restrictions were later annulled, allowing operators greater flexibility in customer acquisition strategies.
The latest figures suggest companies are once again investing heavily in attracting and retaining players, particularly as competition intensifies in the casino segment.
More Money Moving Through the System
Player deposits reached €1.59 billion during the quarter, rising 17.6% compared with the same period in 2025.
Withdrawals also increased, reflecting higher overall levels of gambling activity across the regulated market.
The combination of rising deposits, growing casino revenue and expanding marketing budgets paints a picture of a sector that remains firmly in growth mode. While sports betting continues to hold a substantial share of the market, casino products are increasingly setting the pace.
For regulators and operators alike, the latest quarter offers another sign that Spain’s online gambling landscape is entering a new phase—one shaped less by traditional betting and more by casino gaming, live products and aggressive competition for customers.
Source: www.casinonewsdaily.com
