The Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ) has published financial results for Spain’s online gambling market in Q2 2024, showing a positive performance overall. Gross gaming revenue (GGR) totalled €346.3m (£297.4m), up 10.79% year-on-year.
Breaking down the figures, casino and betting led the way in growth, while poker saw a slight drop and contests recorded no activity. Casino claimed the largest share of GGR at 49.57%, followed by betting at 42%. Poker contributed 7.38%, and bingo accounted for 1.04% of the total market.
Betting GGR grew by 9.13%, reaching €145.48m, while casino saw an impressive 14.57% rise, generating €171.69m. Bingo had a modest 1.87% increase, totalling €3.61m. Poker, however, fell by 0.76% to €25.56m.
Total turnover for the quarter hit €8.26bn, marking a 7.76% increase year-on-year. Casino made up the largest portion of this at €4.99bn, although betting saw the fastest growth, up 10.73% to €2.55bn.
The number of active game accounts and monthly gamblers also rose significantly. Active accounts jumped by 23.65% to 1,401,634, with active gamblers up 22.11%, totalling 942,805. New account registrations surged by 46.57% to 150,677, though new gambler sign-ups dipped by 5.15% to 47,826.
Earlier, the Spanish tax agency announced a tightening of its rules on the reporting of gambling earnings in income self-assessments.
Meanwhile, the Latvian government has approved a bill to amend its Gambling and Lotteries Act, introducing stricter rules on gambling participation. A key change is the increase in the minimum age for gambling from 18 to 21.
For the first time, the bill also sets a minimum age of 18 for purchasing lottery tickets. Previously, Latvia had no age limit for lottery sales.
The bill is not yet final and still requires approval from parliament. Alongside raising the minimum gambling age, the law proposes new regulations for gambling venues. The Cabinet of Ministers would have the authority to standardise the appearance of gaming venue facades to make them less visible and reduce public exposure.
Another significant measure is the introduction of personalised smart cards for gamblers. These cards aim to help identify and address gambling addiction more effectively. Operating hours for gambling venues would also be restricted, running from 9 am to 6 am, with the exception of betting. For online gambling, individual sessions would be capped at 21 hours.
The government states that the main goal of the bill is to protect the public from the risks linked to gambling and lotteries. It seeks to ensure the gambling industry operates in a controlled, transparent, and socially responsible manner, reducing the chances of addiction.
A particular focus is on preventing young people from gambling-related issues. A study conducted by the Ministry of Health highlighted a concerning trend of early gambling. Around 19 per cent of respondents aged 15-24 admitted they started gambling before 18. This is higher than older age groups, with 16 per cent of 25-34-year-olds, 15 per cent of 35-44-year-olds, 14 per cent of 45-54-year-olds, and 9 per cent of 55-64-year-olds reporting the same.
