SELAE puts the 2026 Christmas lottery on sale
The president of Loterías y Apuestas del Estado, Jesús Huerta, announced at a press conference on Thursday, July 9, that the Christmas Lottery is now on sale at all points of the State Lotteries commercial network. The emblematic draw will take place on December 22, and during the campaign presentation, it was reported that 205 million tickets were put on sale and 2.87 billion euros will be distributed in prizes.
The slogan for the 2026 commercial is Shared Dreams. SELAE explained that this year the Christmas Lottery returns with a story that reminds us that when we dream together, anything is possible, because it's not just about winning but about sharing what we want to keep forever and for everyone.
The official presentation of the ticket was marked by tension with lottery vendors, who gathered to demand clear regulation of online sales, an update of commissions, and the opening of a dialogue with the state body. Spanish lottery administrations staged a protest that same Thursday in front of the headquarters of the State Society of Lotteries and State Bets in Madrid, organized by Defensa Digital, Loteros en la Lucha, and the National Association of Provincial Associations of Lottery Administrators, which sought to highlight the growing conflict between the commercial network and the public operator.
During the demonstration, the organizations denounced that the current model jeopardizes the viability of thousands of administrations, especially if SELAE concentrates digital commercialization through its own platform, which in their opinion would create a de facto monopoly that would reduce the commercial activity of the administrations. They argue that the online channel already accounts for nearly 30 percent of the turnover of many administrations, and its loss would be a severe blow to small family businesses.
Tags: Spanish State Lotteries and Betting, Spanish Christmas Lottery, Jesús Huerta, Spanish lottery vendors