CeJuego report estimates 83.9% gambling participation in Spain

The Spanish gambling industry association estimates that 29.5 million people took part in gambling in 2022.

Spain.- The annual report from the Spanish gambling industry association CeJuego has estimated that 29.5 million people aged 18 to 73 took part in some form of gambling in Spain last year. That makes for a participation rate of 83.9 per cent.

CeJuego’s gaming and society survey found that the Spanish gambling sector had returned to normality after the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw a period of stricter advertising rules as well as lockdown measures. CeJuego reported that gambling activity increased in 2022 when compared to 2020 and 2021, which saw participation of 80.9 per cent and 82.4 per cent respectively.

The report found that the majority of people continue to play low-risk games, with 23.3 million gambling on national lotteries, the ONCE lottery or La Quinela. Participation in gambling at casinos, gaming halls and bingo halls and sports betting was 17.9 per cent. That would equate to 6.3 million people nationally and is less than the proportion of people who go to the theatre (24.5%) but more than that who paint (16.1 per cent) or play a musical instrument (9.6 per cent).

CeJuego general director Alejandro Landaluce said: “Users maintain the same relationship with gambling as with of other forms of leisure.”

However, the report found that 15 to 20 per cent are reluctant to gamble be it for religious reasons or due to the fear of losing money.

Last month, the Spanish gambling regulator, the DGOJ, reported that nationwide gross gambling revenue for the second quarter reached €312.6m. That’s a rise of 55.1 per cent year-on-year and 2.5 per cent against the previous quarter. 

Sports betting revenue more than doubled, rising by 118.9 per cent year-on-year to €133.3m. GGR from sports betting was up 2.1 per cent against Q1. Casino remained the highest generator of GGR, accounting for €149.9m, a rise of 27.9 per cent year-on-year and of 4.5 per cent sequentially. Slot machine GGR rose by 29.9 per cent year-on-year and roulette GGR by 8.9 per cent.

Poker GGR was up 27.6 per cent at €25.8m but down 5.8 per cent from Q1. Bingo GGR was up by 5.5 per cent both annually and sequentially at €3.5m. At €140,000, contests GGR was up 1,464.9 per cent year-on-year but down 41.5 per cent sequentially.