Online casinos in Spain

Spain is one of the most developed and open gambling markets in Europe. Here, gambling is not only legal, but also considered part of the national culture. Thanks to strict but transparent regulation and a stable economy, Spain occupies a leading place in Europe in terms of online gambling, second only to the UK and Italy.

History and legal regulation

The modern system of regulation of gambling in Spain was formed with the adoption of Law No. 13/2011 "Ley del Juego" (Law on Gambling), which entered into force in June 2012.

This law was a turning point: for the first time in the history of the country, online games were legalized and regulated.

The main regulatory body was

Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ) —

General Directorate for the Regulation of Gambling, subordinate to the Ministry of Consumer Affairs (Ministerio de Consumo).

DGOJ features include:

issuance and control of licenses;
Audit of operators and software
control over the protection of players and responsible gambling;
combating illegal sites and money laundering;
RNG and game server certification.

Spain became one of the first countries in Europe to fully legalize online gambling at the national level.

Licensing and taxation

Licenses in Spain are divided into two types: 1. Licencias Generales - for categories:

online casinos;
sports betting;
contests and tournaments.
2. Special licenses (Licencias Singulares) - for individual games within the category (for example, roulette, blackjack, slots, poker).

To obtain a license, the operator must:

be registered in the EU;
have an authorized capital of €100,000 and a reserve fund;
Get RNG and platform certification
Store data servers in the EU
provide financial reporting and a responsible game plan.

Taxation is set at:

20% of gross revenue (GGR) for all online operators;
autonomous regions (for example, Ceuta and Melilla) have a preferential rate of 10% GGR, which makes them attractive to operators.

All revenues from licenses and taxes are directed to the budget and anti-addiction programs.

Online gambling and operators

Spain is one of the largest European online gambling markets.

According to DGOJ reports, in 2023 the market exceeded €1.2 billion, of which more than half are online casinos.

Among the legal operators operating under a Spanish license:

Bet365. es, Bwin. es, PokerStars. es, Betfair. es, 888casino. es, LeoVegas. es, Betsson. es, Codere. es, Luckia. es, Paston. es, CasinoBarcelona. es, WilliamHill. es.

The Spanish license is valued for transparency and recognition throughout the EU.

The DGOJ website publishes a public register of all licensed operators, which ensures player confidence and a high level of protection.

Land-based casinos

Spain is also famous for its developed network of land-based casinos and gaming halls.

The largest casinos in the country:

Casino de Madrid is one of the oldest and most prestigious casinos in Europe;
Casino Barcelona is a popular tourist destination and poker tournament venue;
Casino Marbella, Gran Casino Aranjuez, Casino Torrelodones (Gran Madrid) - modern complexes with restaurants and live zones.

In addition to casinos, lotteries, bingo and slot machines (tragaperras) are actively developed in the country, which can be found in almost every city.

Popular games and player interests

Spaniards are known for their love of gambling, especially digitally.

Payment systems

The base currency is Euro (EUR).

Spanish online casinos support all popular payment methods:

Visa, MasterCard, Maestro;
Skrill, Neteller, PayPal, MuchBetter;
Paysafecard, Apple Pay, Google Pay;
SEPA and Bizum bank transfers;
cryptocurrencies are not regulated or accepted on licensed sites, but are available on offshore platforms.

Spain is actively implementing KYC/AML measures, requiring mandatory identity verification when registering and withdrawing funds.

Economic importance

The gambling industry is an important part of Spain's economy.

According to DGOJ, annual tax revenues from gambling exceed €600 million, and the industry provides more than 85,000 jobs in IT, marketing, service and analytics.

Part of the funds is used to finance sports, culture and addiction prevention programs.

Spanish companies such as Codere Group and Luckia Gaming export their technology and expertise to Latin America.

Responsible play and limitations

Spain pays great attention to protecting players.

Main measures:

minimum age - 18 years;
registration and verification of each account;
the possibility of self-exclusion through the Registro General de Interdicciones de Acceso al Juego (RGIAJ);
restrictions on gambling advertising (especially during sports broadcasts);
support for FEJAR, Jugar Bien and DGOJ RGIAJ organizations.

Operators are required to provide instruments of limits on deposits, time and losses.

Challenges and challenges

Despite its success, the market faces challenges:

restriction of advertising activity from 2021 (Royal Decree 958/2020);
high competition among operators;
growth of crypto and NFT gambling outside the legal field;
the need to adapt legislation to new technologies and Web3.

Nevertheless, Spain maintains a balance between freedom and responsibility, keeping the confidence of the players.

Development prospects

Spain confidently remains one of the flagships of the iGaming industry in Europe.

In the coming years, the following are predicted:

introduction of new standards of responsible play;
gradual integration of blockchain and transparent transactions;
development of regional hubs iGaming (Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga);
expanding partnerships with Latin America.

Spain combines liberal regulation, high standards of player protection and innovative technologies, making its online casino market a model for many countries in Europe and Latin America.