Impressive first quarter for Spanish online gambling

The legalisation of online slots in the Spanish internet gaming market last year continues to boost overall performance of the industry, with Q1-2016 results released this week showing year-on-year revenue gains of 32.1 percent.

Reporting on the increase, which took GGR to Euro 102.3 million in the first quarter, the Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego reported:

* Online sportsbetting contributed half the stakes and over 57 percent of the revenue generated in the market, with wagers up 33 percent y-o-y at Euro 1.33 billion, and revenues up 29 percent at Euro 58.6 million;

* In-play betting dominated the sports vertical, delivering 71 percent of wagers vs. 29 percent from pre-event bets;

* Recently (last year) approved exchange wagering contributed stakes of Euro 7.5 million in the quarter;

* Online casino operations saw wagers rise 90 percent year-on-year to Euro 899 million, contributing revenue of Euro 25 million – up 104 percent. of this Euro 247.7 million in stakes – and Euro 9.5 million in revenue – came from the slots;

* Roulette wagering in Q1-2016 grew y-o-y by 42.3 percent, and Blackjack by 27 percent;

* Sadly, online poker declined again, this quarter by 12 percent in revenue terms, delivering just Euro 14.8 million, with cash games and tournament contributing more or less equal amounts. Spanish players anted up Euro 411 million on poker overall – down just over 18 percent;

* Online bingo performed better in the quarter, with stakes rising 10.3 percent to Euro 18.9 million, and revenue up 9.8 percent y-o-y to Euro 2.2 million;

* Active user numbers rose 40 percent to 550,000, whose deposits totalled Euro 271 million – likewise up 40 percent;

* Regulated operators in the Spanish reported investing Euro 32.7 million in advertising in Q1.