Sports betting leads the Spanish internet gaming industry in the first quarter of 2020

The Direccion General de Ordenacion de Juego (DGOJ) – Spanish Directorate for Gambling Regulation – has recently published its latest quarterly report on online gambling in the country, referring to the period January to March 2020. 

According to figures from the regulator, the Spanish internet gaming sector recorded a strong performance during the three-month span, with all verticals contributing to increased revenues both on a year-on-year (12.5%) and on quarter-on-quarter (18%) basis.  

In the first quarter, Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) reached barely €218m, with sports betting leading the way. Despite the suspension of sporting events in the country from mid-March, this vertical contributed with €111m, accounting for 51% of the total while recording a yearly growth of 8.7%. 

The sports betting revenue was primarily driven by in-play betting with €61.3m up to March, as well as fixed odds betting; which accounted for €46.3m and rose 13% compared to the same quarter of the previous year.

Casino, poker, and bingo… on the rise as well

The online casino segment recorded a GGR of €78m, up 16% year-on-year. The biggest rise within this vertical was Live Roulette, up 35% to contribute with €18.5m, but Slots remain the largest contributor with €43.2m – 55% of the total revenue for casino. 

Poker, a vertical that has enjoyed a worldwide boom during the sports suspension, increased its contribution to the Spanish online gambling revenue to €24.2m in the first quarter, with 13% growth in inter-annual terms. 

The remaining verticals, bingo, and contests (where players pay to participate in a prize draw) experienced likewise inter-annual growth; 15% the former and almost 50% the latter, but their contributions remain residual: just above €3m for bingo and less than €2m for online contests. 

Investment in marketing by online operators reached €118m, up 28% from the previous year, led by the 46% increase in spending on bonuses awarded as both welcome offers and prizes, which represents more than a third of the marketing investment in the quarter. However, more than 50% of the marketing spending as a whole remained focused on advertising, as it reached €59.5m on a rise of 24% year-on-year.

Half of the internet operators offer sports betting 

The primacy of sports over the rest of online gambling segments also reflects in the number of companies running sports betting websites – legally – in the country. In March, out of the eighty operators licensed by the Spanish regulatory body, half of them offer betting on sports.  

Aside from the tasks of supervision and regulation, the Direccion General is also in charge of blocking gambling websites operating in Spain without the license. The illegal online operators should be avoided as they do not offer the necessary security guarantees and, on top of that, in many cases are fraudulent companies. 

To stay away from unnecessary risks, one can always use the services of sports betting comparison sites, such as Miscasasdeapuestas. In this portal, you will find analysis and listings of the best betting bonuses and online bookmakers operating in Spain legally; that is, with licensing by the regulator.