Spain’s online gambling sector generated €454.1m in gross gambling revenue in the first quarter, a 13.9% increase year-on-year, according to the Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ).
The figure marked a 6.4% decline from the previous quarter, the only quarter-on-quarter contraction in the headline number. Player money flowing into the market kept rising. Deposits reached €1.59bn, up 17.6% year-on-year and 5.6% on Q4 2025. Withdrawals rose 12% year-on-year to €184.7m, a 9.1% increase on the prior quarter.
Online casino extends its lead
Online casino was again the largest contributor, generating €247.7m and accounting for 54.5% of all online gambling revenue. The vertical grew 21.7% year-on-year and 2.4% on Q4 2025, outpacing the wider market and tightening its grip on Spanish online play. Slots rose 22.6% and live roulette 23.5%, the two standout performers within the segment.
The casino vertical’s dominance has been building through the regulated market. Casino revenue reached €405m in Q3 2025, when the segment was already consolidating its position as the primary growth driver ahead of sports betting.
Sports betting slides from Q4 peak
Sports betting revenue came in at €174.4m, representing 38.4% of the total. The figure was up 5.1% on the first quarter of 2025 but down 17.2% from Q4 2025, reflecting the seasonal drop in betting activity after the busier final quarter of the year.
The internal split showed a clear shift in how Spanish bettors are wagering. Pre-match betting revenue fell 18.2% while in-play revenue rose 34.4%. Other bet types jumped 90.8%, and horse racing betting revenue grew 0.7%. The move toward live betting tracks a broader pattern across European regulated markets, where in-play products have taken share from traditional pre-match wagering.
Poker grows, bingo flat
Poker revenue rose 10.8% to €28.2m, equal to 6.3% of the total. Both formats contributed, with tournament revenue up 10.8% and cash game revenue up 11%. Bingo revenue edged down 0.4% to €3.6m, the smallest of the four verticals.
The segment breakdown leaves Spain’s online market heavily weighted toward casino and sports betting, which together accounted for 92.9% of Q1 revenue. Poker and bingo remain marginal contributors by comparison.
Marketing spend keeps climbing
Operator marketing spending rose 12% year-on-year to €184.7m in Q1. Promotions took the largest share at €91m, followed by €73.85m on advertising, €17.4m on affiliates and €2.6m on sponsorship.
The continued rise in promotional spending comes as Spain tightens its advertising framework. The country introduced tobacco-style warning labels for online gambling in 2025, part of a wider regulatory push that operators have had to absorb alongside growing acquisition costs.
The Q1 figures point to a market still expanding on player deposits and casino strength, but the quarter-on-quarter revenue dip and the sharp pre-match betting decline give operators a mixed read heading into the rest of 2026. The next DGOJ quarterly report will show whether casino can sustain its momentum once the seasonal sports betting comparison normalises.
Source: Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ)
