Online Gambling in Spain: A Guide to the Best Spanish Gambling Sites in 2024

The Best Online Gambling Sites in Spain

Are you looking for legal Spanish gambling sites with strong reputations for fairness, high-quality products and a great variety of games? In this guide to the best online gambling sites in Spain for 2024, we’ve provided all you need to get started with the most reliable and trustworthy casinos, sportsbooks and more. Stick with us and find out how you can safely partake in online gambling in Spain.

Jessica Whitehouse, Editor at online-gambling.com

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Jessica Whitehouse is among the professional online-gambling.com editors in charge of ensuring that our readers get the best and most reliable news and details from the online gambling world. Her focus is on blackjack and roulette reviews, lottery, and more.

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Available Gambling Types in Spain

For over 40 years, Spain has been an incredibly open and tolerant nation when it comes to gambling laws. Most forms of gambling are legal and regulated in the country, meaning players have access to safe land-based and online casinos, sports betting, lottery, poker and daily fantasy sports options.

Overview of Spanish Online Casinos

Spanish players are able to access some of the most high-quality and reputable online casinos in the world. A large portion of the available online operators is based in neighbouring European Union countries, meaning that customers are protected by strong consumer safety laws whether they’re playing slots or table games. Many of the top Spanish online casinos offer everything from video slots, roulette, blackjack and other digital variants of land-based casino classics. Some even offer live casino experiences, which is one of the most immersive online gambling experiences available. See below for the top Spanish online site.

The Sports Betting Market

For decades, Spanish gamblers have had access to land-based sports betting options, though it has only been the last ten years or so that the industry has embraced online sportsbook offerings. Over the last few years in particular, online sports betting has exploded in popularity in Spain, with an estimated €450 million in online sports betting revenues generated in 2020 alone. For the most part, Spanish bettors are drawn to wagering on local and international football leagues, though there are dozens of more markets that are also hugely popular and widely available. Below, you can find the top online sportsbook in Spain.

Daily Fantasy Sports

While there are no laws specifically legalizing Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) in Spain, the activities are also not specifically prohibited. This means that Spanish players are free to wager real money on DFS leagues however they want. US companies DraftKings and FanDuel hold a 90 per cent share of the European market due to their strong reputations, highly functional platforms, and exciting, frequent competitions. If you’re yet to try DFS, we assure you that these are the perfect games for sports lovers and, unlike many other gambling activities, can be won through skill and research.

The Online Poker Industry

Poker has been legal in Spain since gambling was widely legalized in 1977, and local players were quick to migrate to online poker platforms as soon as they first launched in the 90s. Since online gambling was regulated in 2011, there has been a steady increase in new high-quality poker sites as well as increased interests in the online market. In 2020, Spanish online poker sites reported their highest-ever revenues, and we expect 2021 to follow a similar trend. For this reason, it’s best to play with sites that offer a variety of poker types and betting limits, such as the top poker site below.

Spanish Online Lottery

Spain is home to one of the longest continually running lotteries in the world, so it’s no surprise why Spanish players would be drawn to online lottery so much. In fact, the annual Spanish Christmas Lottery is considered to be the world’s largest national lottery draw, with prize pools frequently topping €2 billion. Thankfully, there are several online lottery sites in Spain that can quench the strong local appetite for national and international draw games. Whether it’s the US Mega Millions or the Australian Powerball draw, players can try their luck at winning huge jackpots at the best online lottery site recommended below.

A Guide to Online Gambling in Spain

Before you sign-up to a new online gambling site, there are several important factors that you need to consider. These include the safety, security, and legality of the sites, the game types and software available, the welcome bonuses and offers, and the fairness of the offerings. In the upcoming sections, we’ll explore the most important features of each factor so that you can be sure to pick the perfect gambling site for your preferences.

Licencing, Security & Safety at Spanish Online Gambling Sites

Licensing and security is perhaps the most important element in deciding what makes an online gambling site trustworthy. In Spain, online gaming is regulated by the Directorate-General for the Regulation of Gambling, a government-run body that is in charge of licensing operators and enforcing gambling laws. One prerequisite to applying for a gambling operator’s license is proving that the games on offer are fair. In order to do this, websites must have their games tested by independent labs to ensure that games have not been tampered with. Below, we’ve provided several reputable gaming authorities that are dedicated to keeping Spanish gambling sites safe and fair.

The Importance of a Good Games Selection

It’s no secret that most players will choose an online gambling site based on the kinds of games that are available. This makes sense, as it’s the quality, fairness, and diversity of the product itself that will keep customers returning to play more. In order to verify that the games selection will suit you, it’s best to check that there is a decent selection of popular titles, game types, and rooms that cater to all players.

The best gambling sites will also offer a wide betting variance so that players from all budgets and backgrounds can enjoy something. The games will make up the majority of your overall experience when gambling online, so take the time to visit some of the best games sites in Spain below. Don’t be lured into choosing a site based on the bonus offer alone — without good games, there’s no use having any bonus to play with at all.

Most Popular Spanish Gambling Games

According to local statistics, the most popular gambling games in Spain are slots, table games, sports betting and the lottery. While the lottery has always been a popular pastime in the country, the legalization of online gambling in 2011 has seen more players drawn to online casino games in particular. When choosing an online gambling activity, it’s best to check how fair the game is if you want to boost your chances of winning. While each individual title will have its own return to player (RTP) rate, we have listed the average RTPs of popular online gambling activities below.

Different Types of Online Gambling Rewards

There are many different types of online gambling in Spain. You can make sports bets, play in the various online casino sites or even using the multiple poker rooms. Alternatively, you might be interesting in Daily Fantasy events or even Online Lotto, which is quite popular in the country, at the moment.

The Top Payout Rates Casinos in Spain

As we have mentioned above, it’s important to verify the return to player (RTP) rates of games before you play them in order to boost your wins. The average RTP of all of the games on a gambling site is what is called the payout rate. These rates are often calculated by independent testing agencies such as eCOGRA in order to inform players about the fairness of a site. Below, you can find the best payout gambling sites along with their best payout games to help boost your odds to win.

Available Payment Methods

It’s important to choose a gambling site that accepts a number of different popular payment options that charge little to no costs. If a casino or sportsbook accepts major international financial institutions, this indicates that it is trusted by some of the most secure technology businesses in the world. There are perks to using different payment methods that range from shorter transaction times, lower fees, and more versatility. Below, we’ve listed the most common payment methods at Spanish gambling sites and the top brands for each.

1. e-Wallets:
   1. PayPal
   2. Neteller
   3. ecoPayz
   4. Skrill
2. Credit/Debit Cards:
   1. Mastercard
   2. VISA
   3. Maestro
3. Bank Transfers:
   1. Instant Banking
   2. Bank Transfer
   3. Wire Transfer
4. Other:
   1. Bitcoin
   2. Paysafecard
   3. ApplePay
   4. Google Pay
   5. Trustly

Mobile Gambling

Over the past few years, mobile online gambling in Spain has become one of the biggest trends. This is why it’s necessary for the top gambling sites to offer some form of mobile gaming experience, whether that’s through a dedicated app or a customized mobile browser site. In most cases, sites will offer mobile platforms for both iOS and Android devices that are user-friendly and offer most of, if not all, of the features offered on desktop platforms. You can find the best gambling apps for each game category in the table below.

Reliable Gambling Software Providers

There are several international software developers that are behind the best games at online gambling sites. These developers have earned reputations for creating state-of-the-art games that are fair, stable, and most importantly, fun. We prefer to use online casinos and poker sites that stock games from a number of different software providers, as this tends to produce a more diverse experience. It also means that players can enjoy a wider range of hugely popular games. For sportsbooks, there are certain software companies that are renowned for creating stable platforms with great betting features that we also love to see featured. You can find just a few of our favorite software companies below.

Spanish Gambling Laws & Regulations

Spain has offered a legal gambling industry since 1977. This was the year that gambling was first decriminalized, which paved the way for a regulated land-based gaming industry. Over the years, though, the government was forced to address its stance on online gambling legalization. The Gambling Act of 2011 was the first Spanish law to legalize and regulate online gambling. The act authorized the creation of a state regulator which has continued to license online operators, enforce laws, and protect players. While the Gambling Act is a federal law, some Spanish states have minor variations on individual gambling rules.

The Legality of Online Gambling in Spain

As mentioned, online gambling has been officially legalized and regulated in Spain since the Gambling Act was passed in 2011. Before the law was passed, locals had no choice but to bet with sites that weren’t approved by the Spanish governments. Now, non-licensed operators are barred from accepting Spanish players and it is illegal for locals to bet with unapproved offshore gambling sites.

The Spanish Land-Based Gambling Industry

Spanish gamblers are able to wager on a large variety of land-based gambling activities. This includes sports betting, pari-mutuel wagering on horse races, and the lottery. At casinos and licensed gaming establishments. Spanish players can play slots, table games, and poker. There are several widely-known gambling brands servicing players all over the country, with the most popular listed below.

Gambling Law Differences According to Region

For the most part, gambling in Spain is regulated at the federal level. That being said, the law does accommodate small variances in regional laws related to gambling. The Gambling Act of 2011 deems that the federal measures apply to all gambling activities that are offered in more than one region. However, if a gambling activity is offered in only one of the country’s 17 regions, it will be regulated at the state level. This will usually apply only to lotteries and land-based gaming operations as opposed to online gambling sites that are offered across the country. Despite this, no states have outlawed any particular forms of gambling that aren’t legal elsewhere.

The Spanish Gambling Regulatory Body

The Gambling Act of 2011 established the Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ) to regulate the land-based and online gambling industry. The DGOJ has the power to authorize licenses to any number of operators as long as they meet the strict requirements outlawed by the federal government. For example, operators must prove that they meet economic and financial requirements, safety and security standards, and responsible gambling procedures. The DGOJ also has the power to enforce fines and penalties on operators that have breached the law and pursue offshore operators acting illegally in the country.

Taxation on Gambling Winnings

Unlike the federal laws related to gambling, Spain’s gambling taxation system is different depending on the region the gambler is located. Each region will apply different tax rates to individual game types which must be paid by operators. Spanish players will need to pay taxes on their winnings, which are to be declared as income at tax time. Interestingly, there are distinctions between the tax rates applied to land-based gambling and online gambling. In many states, land-based casinos must pay a tax rate of 20 per cent on gross gaming revenues, while online casinos pay 25 per cent on revenues.

Sports betting is also taxed differently depending on the kind of activity or payment scheme operators employ. Over the past decade, Spain has made a number of changes to its tax system in order to appeal to more players and operators. We expect this to continue to change in the future in order to make way for a more uniform system.

Legal Gambling Age

Spain has a blanket minimum age for all gambling activities no matter what region you are located. Players must be over 18 years old in order to legally gamble. This includes land-based gambling at casinos, the lottery, and sports betting parlours, as well as all forms of online gambling. It is the responsibility of operators to verify the age of players before they are accepted. If operators are caught accepting underage gamblers, they can face huge fines and a loss of license.

Advertising Laws

After several years of pushing for changes to the country’s gambling advertising laws, the Ministry of Consumer Affairs approved a Royal Decree that seeks to limit gambling advertisements. These laws are set to limit gambling-related commercials to a timeslot between 1 AM and 5 AM, end gambling operator sponsorships of sporting leagues and teams, and eliminate welcome bonuses for new players. Campaigns featuring athletes and high-profile people will also be banned.

These rules are set to gradually unfold over 2021 and will undoubtedly have a major impact on the Spanish gambling industry. Those in favour of the rules say that they are necessary to curb a rise in problem gambling. It is estimated that over €300 million was spent by gambling operators on advertising to Spanish customers in 2020.

Penalties for Gambling Offenses

While Spanish players have access to an extremely free gambling market, this doesn’t mean that the law takes a soft approach to gambling-related crimes. Federal and regional governments closely monitor the industry to ensure that illegally-offered games, money laundering, match-fixing, tax evasion, and underage gambling are minimized. Those who break these laws can face severe penalties including the loss of gambling licenses, fines, and even imprisonment. For the most part, though, operators are charged with offences rather than citizens. Below, we’ve listed some common gambling crimes and their penalties in Spain.

Penalties for gambling-related crime:

Upcoming Changes to Spanish Gambling Laws

At the moment, the majority of the discussion surrounding changes to Spain’s gambling laws have centred around limiting gambling advertising. Other discussions centre on changing tax rates on operators, although these are unlikely to affect players. With these changes, it is not unreasonable to suspect that Spain may follow the United Kingdom’s lead in introducing more restrictions to the payment methods that gamblers can use. This could mean limiting the use of credit cards or prohibiting minimum deposit requirements.

Responsible Gambling & Problem Gambling Prevention

It is essential for gambling operators to operate in a way that does not prey on potentially risky players. It is an unfortunate reality that some gamblers will struggle with addiction, so many websites will collaborate with responsible gambling organizations to ensure that troubled players can get the help they need. This could be either including features such as self-exclusion or self-limitations into player accounts, or providing access to support groups and health experts. Below, we’ve listed several trustworthy problem gambling groups that currently cater to the Spanish market.

Useful Links:

Interesting Facts About Online Gambling in Spain

As legal and regulated online gambling is relatively young in Spain, the country is still facing a huge boom in participation rates. In fact, the online gambling market has grown 270 percent since 2015! Revenues continue to climb each year, with 2018 seeing a roughly 30 per cent growth in gambling revenues compared to the year before. This is staggering when considering the fact that every year, Spanish players are estimated to spend more than €2 billion on gambling. Half of these revenues are generated from sports betting alone, which indicates that the Spanish gambling market is an extremely lucrative business.

The History of Spanish Gambling

Spain has had a long and interesting history when it comes to gambling. The most relevant events to the modern market can be traced back to the early 1800s when Spain’s first Christmas Lottery was established. Since then, the Spanish Christmas Lottery has become an uninterrupted tradition celebrated across the country. After the first National Lottery, gambling slowly spread across the country, and locals routinely bet on everything from horse racing to casino games. In 1922, gambling was effectively outlawed. This ban would remain in place until the end of dictator Franco’s reign in 1977. Since then, gambling has been decriminalized and embraced by the population.

Famous Land-Based Gambling Establishments

The land-based gambling industry in Spain has thrived since gambling was decriminalized in 1977. There are roughly 60 land-based casinos in Spain, with Madrid and Barcelona offering the most options of all cities. While casino resorts do exist, they are not as prevalent as destinations such as Macau or Las Vegas. Land-based casinos tend to offer slots, table games, and sports betting options, with VIP casinos offering exclusive dining options and luxury amenities.

Famous Spanish Gamblers

Spain’s open gambling country has made it the perfect country to breed a large pool of world-class gambling talent, with several of the world’s best poker players coming from the country. In some cases, these poker players are placed highly on the list of all-time top-earning players. Outside of poker, one iconic Spanish gambler is Gonzalo Garcia-Pelayo, who earned fame with his family for earning millions by exploiting roulette wheels. Some of these well-known gamblers have been listed below.

Spanish Gambling in Pop Culture

There have been a number of extremely popular Spanish movies and books about gambling over the last twenty years, with the most popular being based on the aforementioned Pelayos family. If you want to dig deeper into these exciting tales, you can find some of the best Spanish pop culture gambling representations below.

Pros and Cons of Online Gambling vs Land-Based Gambling

Are you undecided about whether or not you should be gambling online? We assure you that if you choose a safe and licensed online gambling site, there are plenty of advantages to these sites over land-based casinos. For one, online sites tend to offer promotions for loyal customers. There are also hundreds of more unique slot options that can be played more conveniently. Gambling sites will usually offer games with small buy-ins or a variety of betting options so that players of all budgets can play. The main disadvantage is that online casinos can’t compete with the atmosphere of land-based casinos.

More Useful Guides and Articles

Do you want to learn more about online gambling or how other countries regulate the industry? Below, we’ve provided several more of our most popular gambling guides for your enjoyment. Our guides attract readers from all over the world who are either hoping to hone their gambling skills, find a new gambling site or are simply curious about the industry.

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