( Click to Enlarge )
The online gambling industry in Spain witnessed double-digit growth in the first quarter of 2020, according to figures released on Friday (10th July 2020). Information from the Spanish regulatory body for gambling, the Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego, revealed that online operators in the country had produced nearly €218 million in the three months leading up to March 31st. This represents a growth of 12.5% in comparison to figures from 2019, and a leap of 17.6% in comparison to the final quarter of 2019, which had suffered rare negative growth.
Increase In Slots Interest
Strong growth in online slots has said to have played an important role in figures. In the three months leading up to March 31st 2020, slots had created revenue of €43.2 million. This represents an increase of 15.7% compared to last year’s figures.
Roulette games also witnessed growth of €18.4 million, representing an increase of 16.7% in comparison to the same quarter of 2019.
Advertising Campaigns
Licensed online casino operators in Spain spent a total of €118.2 million on advertising during the first quarter of 2020 – an increase of 28.3% compared to figures from last year.
Much of this centred around sign-up bonuses and free spins for new online casino users, resulting in 868,000 new accounts being opened during the same timeframe.
Spain has had a long history of consumer protection in the gambling industry, with stakeholders long having lobbied for a more open approach to online casino advertising.
However, recent figures prove that the demand for online casino gaming is larger than ever in the country, which has lagged behind many of its European counterparts in terms of high-quality slots offerings until recent years.
Potential For Further Growth
With no data to back up claims from a minority of government officials who feel that the gambling market is harmful to Spanish consumers, the industry is likely to be awash with activity over the next few months.
Such an increase in revenue will no doubt attract the attention of casino software developers and site operators alike. Industry insiders say that “many big names” in Europe who have yet to enter the Spanish market are more likely to consider doing so given the recent uptick in online casino popularity, which will ultimately means greater freedom of choice for Spanish online casino fans.