Spanish online gambling market up 11 percent

The regulated Spanish online gambling market may attract criticism for its ring-fenced player base approach and heavy taxation, but nevertheless achieved 11 percent year-on-year growth in 2014, with revenues up by a healthy Euro 254 million, according to numbers from regulator Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego.

Fourth quarter revenues came in at Euro 65.6 million – up 10 percent on Q4-2013 – with 52 percent generated by sports betting, 23 percent from online poker and 8 percent from internet casino gaming.

The DGOJ attributes the improvement to the addition of online slot action and exchange betting, and more expansive advertising by licensed operators, who put up almost 60 percent more in marketing budget in the last quarter of the year.

The regulator appeared to be in a bullish mood, predicting that 2015 will see at least twelve new operators licensed.