Spain’s gambling regulator recorded a 23.5% year-on-year increase in female online gambling participation in 2024, according to an analysis published by the Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ).
Active female players reached 335,627, representing 16.9% of Spain’s total online gambling population. The growth rate for women outpaced the equivalent figure for male participants over the same period, though the market remains heavily male-dominated.
Market Context
Spain’s regulated online gambling market recorded nearly two million active players in 2024, a 21.6% increase from the prior year. Total online gross gaming revenue reached €1.45 billion, up 17.6% year-on-year. Casino verticals continued to dominate the market into Q3 2025, with GGR hitting €405m in that quarter alone.
The DGOJ operates under the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and 2030 Agenda. Its analysis covers participation trends, demographic breakdown, spending behaviour, and player protection metrics across licensed operators.
Age Profile and Digital Penetration
Nearly 60% of female online gamblers in Spain are under 35 years old. The concentration in younger age brackets points to a correlation between female participation growth and generations with greater familiarity with digital platforms.
The pattern reflects broader trends across European markets, where expansion of online betting as entertainment among young adults has accelerated in recent years. Europe’s total gross gambling revenue reached €123.4 billion in 2024, with online channels accounting for a growing share of that figure.
Identity Theft: A Disproportionate Burden
The DGOJ analysis flags a significant imbalance in identity theft complaints. Nearly half of all identity theft reports in Spain’s online gambling sector correspond to female players, despite women making up under 17% of active users.
Complaints are channelled through the Protocol for Action for Identity Theft Victims (PACS), introduced in April 2024 through collaboration between the DGOJ, the Spanish Tax Agency, and National Police. The protocol addresses cases where third parties misuse individuals’ identities to conceal gambling winnings and evade tax obligations.
The regulator identifies several potential drivers: financial control dynamics within close environments, gaps in digital security awareness among female populations, and possible exploitation of women’s identities in organised fraud.
Spending Behaviour
Female players show distinct financial patterns relative to the general gambling population. Average annual deposits among women total approximately €2,019, compared to roughly €2,482 across all players — a gap the DGOJ attributes to more cautious risk behaviour.
Average annual losses for female players stand at approximately €539. Women also record higher maximum winnings and lower extreme losses than men, suggesting a more conservative wagering approach overall.
Temporal Patterns
Female gambling activity concentrates on Tuesdays and Saturdays, with peak participation in late afternoon and evening hours. The timing correlates with sports betting availability on licensed platforms — a segment that has expanded steadily in Spain.
The distinct temporal distribution differentiates female players from the general market, indicating women may prioritise live sports events or specific scheduling factors when choosing when to engage.
Regulatory Framework
The DGOJ continues to build out its player protection infrastructure as market participation grows. Measures in development include AI-based risk detection algorithms monitoring player behaviour and centralised deposit limits applying across all licensed operators.
Spain has already moved on mandatory tobacco-style warning labels for online gambling operators, part of a wider regulatory tightening that positions the DGOJ as one of Europe’s more active gambling authorities. The identity theft data in the new analysis is likely to inform the next phase of player protection requirements, with female-specific risk profiles now formally documented.
Source: Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ)
