Spain's online gambling nears 17% growth in 2025
The online gambling industry in Spain has consolidated its upward trend over the last year, positioning itself as one of the most dynamic digital entertainment options in the country. The recent annual report published by the Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ) reveals that the sector's GGR (Gross Gaming Revenue) reached 1.7 billion euros between January and December 2025. This result represents an increase of 16.99 percent compared to the previous year, confirming that the market's maturity has not hindered its capacity for expansion.
This growth is reflected not only in gross revenues but also in the volume of financial transactions carried out by users. Player deposits experienced a rise of 21.47 percent, while withdrawals increased by 23.79 percent. These figures suggest greater liquidity and more intense activity within regulated platforms, complemented by a significant increase in the user base. In fact, the monthly average of active accounts exceeded 1.7 million, representing a growth of over 20 percent compared to 2024.
The casino segment has emerged as the main driver of the industry, contributing 893 million euros to the total GGR, equivalent to 52 percent of the market share. This sector grew by 22.15 percent annually, primarily driven by the excellent performance of slot machines. Since their regulation in 2015, online slots have gained ground continuously, and in 2025, they accounted for almost 70 percent of casino revenues, with a positive annual variation of 30.78 percent. In contrast, more traditional modalities such as conventional roulette and Blackjack experienced slight setbacks, while live roulette maintained sustained growth of close to 10 percent.
For its part, sports betting ranked second in importance, generating 698.13 million euros, 41 percent of the total market. This segment grew by 14.92 percent, supported by conventional pari-mutuel betting, which soared by 25.82 percent. Live betting also showed positive signs, albeit with a more moderate advance of 6.39 percent. In contrast, horse racing and other pari-mutuel modalities registered small decreases, indicating a concentration of bettors' preferences on major sporting events.
Other segments such as poker and bingo showed less expansive or even negative behaviors. Poker closed the year with a fall of 4.60 percent, mainly dragged down by the decrease in the tournament modality, which represents the largest part of its market. Bingo also declined by 6.69 percent, while contests experienced a drastic drop of over 88 percent year-on-year. These variations demonstrate a shift in players' interest towards faster and more dynamic formats, such as slots and live sports betting.
Advertising and marketing investment has been a key factor in sustaining these metrics. During 2025, operators allocated a total of 664.4 million euros to acquisition and retention actions, representing an increase of 25.84 percent. The most striking data within this section is the exponential increase in sponsorship spending, which rose by 140.15 percent compared to the previous year. Promotions also played a central role, absorbing 347.20 million euros of the total investment, followed by traditional advertising and affiliation systems, which continue to be essential tools for the growth of the digital ecosystem in Spain.
Tags: Spain, online betting Spain, gambling regulation Spain, GGR Spain 2025