Gambling and Casinos in Spain

Games of chance in Spain are divided into two types:

• Public gaming: The State Society of Lotteries and State Betting (SELAE) and the Spanish National Organization for the Blind (ONCE) are the two-state operators responsible for this type of game, where a part of the profits is destined for charitable organizations.
• Private gaming: Includes all online and physical casinos, game rooms, bingo halls, betting houses and tournaments or competitions organized in-person and remotely. All of them, regulated by the General Directorate for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ), require bets and licenses to operate.

Physical casinos and gaming halls in Spain

In Spain, there are 53 physical casinos and more than 3,500 operational game rooms. The on-site gambling activities of these establishments are regulated by the administrations of each autonomous community. In general, the casinos and gaming rooms in Spain have the game developers Playtech, NetEnt and MGA.

Physical casinos in Spain offer a wide variety of games, with classic American or European roulette and VIP roulette, sports betting machines, slot machines, blackjack, baccarat, and poker tables. The latter has gained special prominence in the casinos of the Spanish territory since some organize poker tournaments of great renown on the national and international scene. Most of these establishments ask their players to comply with the dress code, as well as to present an identity document (DNI or NIE) and to be over 18 years of age. In addition, they offer a full bar and restaurant service to their customers. In Spain, many traditional players prefer the solidity and commitment of physical casinos, where payments are made immediately, and customer service generates greater comfort and confidence among users. Some of the most prominent cities with physical casinos in Spain are Madrid, Barcelona, and Ibiza. The most popular casinos are:

• Grand Casino Barcelona.
• Casino Gran Madrid Torrelodones.
• Casino of Gran Canaria.
• Grand Casino Mallorca.
• Ibiza Casino.

The gaming halls especially have slot machines, electronic and live dealer roulettes and sports betting terminals. In recent years they have also incorporated a bar service for their customers, as well as sports broadcasts of different disciplines, such as football, racing, basketball, and tennis. The autonomous communities with the largest number of gambling halls are Andalusia, with more than 800; Community of Madrid, with more than 450; and the Valencian Community, which exceeds 430.

Online casinos in Spain

The online casino industry in Spain has grown year after year until today, with a total of 61 online casinos regulated by the DGOJ, which ensures compliance with Law 13/2011. Its evolution has been of such magnitude that even several physical casinos have developed their own web pages and mobile applications, to offer a broader portfolio of games. In this way, they offer easier access to virtual and live games that are operational 24 hours a day, allowing you to bet anytime, anywhere. The most outstanding types in Spain are sports betting, poker and slot machines.

The developers of the most popular Spanish online casinos are MGA and Recreativos Franco. Other providers with great influence in the Spanish territory are Red Rake, Zitro, NetEent, Microgaming, Playtech, Greentube, Scientific Games, Pragmatic Play, iSoftBet and Gaming 1.

Live casinos with live dealers

Most Spanish online casinos offer Live Casino games with live dealers, with roulette being the most popular type of game. The real-time transmission is carried out from the studios of Evolution, Playtech and Authentic. The most famous live casino games in Spain are Evolution Lightning Roulette and Immersive Roulette, followed by Classic European and VIP Roulette. In some Spanish online casinos, such as 888 Casino, Poker Stars Casino or Sportium, you can play live blackjack or poker, interacting in real-time with the dealer through chat.

Sports betting houses in Spain

The true popularity of sports betting came with the advent of the Internet. Thanks to their adaptation to all mobile devices and their loading speed, they have become the favourite online game in Spain. In addition, some sports betting houses have incorporated the broadcasting of some events, such as football matches in the German or Italian league. The most famous in Spain are Bet365, Codere, Betway, William Hill, Luckia and Betfair. Its sports offer covers many disciplines, the most prominent being football, basketball, and tennis. The rest of the modalities that they offer are athletics, handball, baseball, billiards, cricket, darts, formula 1, winter sports, rugby, American football, futsal, golf, hockey, boxing, Olympic games, volleyball, water polo, ping pong, horse, and greyhound racing, cycling, Nascar or Dakar.

The payment methods of legal sports betting houses are completely safe and private, being practically the same as online casinos. That is, credit or debit card, Paypal, bank transfer or prepaid card.

Physical bookmakers vs online bookmakers in Spain

The game halls that have sports betting terminals offer bar service and live broadcasts of different disciplines, such as football, tennis, basketball, boxing, or MMA. In this way, a wonderful atmosphere with fans is created, something that does not happen in the online version. Another very favourable aspect is the option to enter and/or withdraw money immediately at the same location. Some of the most popular bookmakers with physical rooms in Spain are Codere, Luckia and Sportium.

For its part, the online version offers immediate availability on any device, simple, safe, and private use. They have a greater sports offer, with prizes with a bonus percentage, depending on the bet. In addition, some online betting houses have incorporated this last year recommendations of the most frequent bets among users.

Bingo in Spain

In the ‘70s and ‘80s, bingo was one of the most popular games of chance in Spain. Currently, despite the rise of online gambling, there are more than 300 bingo halls spread across all regions of the country. Most of them have a complete restaurant and entertainment service, offering other game varieties, such as blackjack or slot machines. Barcelona, ​​Madrid, and Valencia are some of the cities that host the most popular and largest bingo halls in Spain, the most prominent being:

• Bingo Canoe, Madrid
• Bingo Billares, Barcelona.
• Bingo Las Vegas, Madrid.
• Bingo Torrefiel, Valencia.
• Bingo Gorrión, Alicante.

Online Bingos in Spain

Online gaming halls are aware of the great tradition and popularity of bingo in Spain. For this reason, they have online bingo games in their product portfolio, all of them regulated by the DGOJ. Another advantage they offer is the chat service, which allows interaction between users and with the drivers responsible for developing the game.

Online bingos have special jackpots, which make them stand out from physical bingos. In addition, its adaptation to mobile devices and the variety of payment methods, like that of online casinos, have made it a popular entertainment tool in Spain. The most popular online bingos in Spain are: YoBingo, EBingo, Lowen Play, Mansión Casino and Tombola.

State lotteries and raffles in Spain

In Spain, there are more than 4,000 lottery administrations, all of which legally belong to the Sociedad Estatal de Loterías y Apuestas del Estado (SELAE), a publicly owned operator whose responsibility belongs to the Government of Spain. It should also be noted that all of them are attached to the Ministry of Finance. The most famous for the number of prizes distributed are:

• Doña Manolita, Madrid
• La Bruixa d'Or, Lleida
• Lotería Manises, Valencia
• Lotería Valdés, Barcelona
• La envidiosa Millonaria, Murcia
• Lotería Ormaechea, Bilbao
• La Pajarita, Madrid
• El Gato Negro, Barcelona
• El Doblón de Oro, Madrid
• Lotería Sagasta, Sevilla

In Spain, the Christmas Lottery draw “Lotería de Navidad” and the Child Lottery draw “Loteria del niño” predominate. Although it should be remembered that SELAE operates up to nine different games, some of which are based on soccer-related sports betting, especially the 1st and 2nd division national leagues, Champions League, UEFA Europa League and Copa del Rey.

The types of lotteries and raffles regulated by SELAE are:

• Lotería Nacional: Two raffles are held every week, on Thursdays and Saturdays, although there are special raffles, highlighting the Extraordinary Christmas Raffle and the Extraordinary Child Raffle.
• Lotería Primitiva: Held on Thursdays and Saturdays of each week. It consists of the choice, by each player, of six numbers, from 1 to 49 and from 1 to 9 for the refund.
• Bonoloto: Like the Lotería Primitiva, with the variant that the refund is chosen randomly. It is cheaper and its prizes are smaller because it is held daily from Monday to Saturday.
• El Gordo de la Primitiva: It is a special draw, which takes place on Sunday’s weekly. The player must choose five numbers between 1 and 54 and a refund number between 1 and 9. It was created in 1993 as an alternative to the Primitive Lottery, to offer larger prizes.
• Euromillions: It is the type of draw that awards the greatest prizes, but that presents the least possibilities when carried out internationally. It consists of choosing five numbers between 1 and 50 and two stars numbered between 1 and 12. They are held weekly on Tuesdays and Fridays.
• La Quiniela: It is a sports bet of 15 soccer matches in the Spanish league of 1st and 2nd division. It can also be held sporadically during the week, in Champions League and UEFA Europa League matches.
• Quinigol: It consists of 6 matches in the Spanish 1st division league, where the player must choose the exact result of each of them.
• Lototurf: Combines the game of chance with the bet on horse racing. The player must choose six numbers between 1 and 31, as well as select the winning horse that is stated on the ticket.
• Quintuple: Based on horse racing, the winning horse of five races and the one that will be in the second position in the fifth race must be chosen.

What games of chance do Spaniards prefer?

The Christmas lottery is the game preferred by the Spanish, according to the number of participants annually. Secondly, there is sports betting, which has its great bastions in football, tennis, racing and basketball, especially when international competitions are approaching. For example, the Champions League, a Grand Slam, or the NBA playoffs.

Concerning casino games, the classics such as roulette, slot machines, poker or blackjack are the ones that register the most money and players throughout the year. The possibility of getting a larger prize is its main attraction. The physical casinos in Spain have, for the most part, classic French roulette, online French roulette, and American roulette. Lightning Roulette, from the Evolution Gaming studio, has also become a very famous game of chance in Spanish territory. However, many Spanish players prefer to play roulette in gaming halls. For its part, the most popular slot machines are Book of Ra, Zeus, Cleopatra, Neopolis. In the online version, Chiquito, Book of Dead, La Mina de Oro and Dioni, Gonzo's Quest. Bingo is another of the games of chance that attracts a greater number of participants throughout the year, with the average player profile being a person over 40 years of age, due to its great tradition in Spain. For this reason, many online casinos also offer video bingo games, such as Super 90, Fortuna 90, Suerte 90, Yobinguera90, Beach Bingo, Monsters Bingo, Golden Lucky Cat Bingo or Roma Bingo.

Regulation of casinos and games of chance in Spain

Casinos in Spain have been legal since 1977, thanks to Royal Decree-Law 16/1977, which legalizes face-to-face gambling and betting activities. The regulation of the activities of physical casinos, game rooms and sports betting, as well as the issuance of licenses, the collection of taxes and municipal taxes is the responsibility of the autonomous community where the establishment is located. For their part, online casinos were legalized in 2012, after publishing Law 13/2011, which ensures the safe and fair development of online games in Spain, through the DGOJ. After the last modification of Royal Decree 958/2020, it can be said that online operators in Spain are the most highly regulated on the European continent.

To obtain a general license in the "bets", "contests" or "other games" modality, as well as specific licenses for each type of game, an online casino must meet a series of legal, economic, and technical requirements. One of the most prominent is the social capital that an online gaming establishment must-have. This must be at least 100,000 euros. They must also be domiciled in Spain or the European Union and have a statement regarding the personnel and technical equipment approved and regulated by the relevant regulations.

Bitcoin Casinos in Spain

By the provisions of the law, casinos with cryptocurrencies are prohibited in Spain since this type of currency is not regulated in the Spanish market. Therefore, there is no legal option to play and collect prizes with this currency, and websites or casinos that allow it are illegal.

The DGOJ finds it difficult to analyse and block all the pages with online gambling and betting with Bitcoins, which sometimes bypass security controls. In this way, some online casinos without a license operate in Spain, getting users to deposit their cryptocurrencies. This translates into innumerable losses, both for the State, which cannot apply gaming taxes and for the players, who will not be able to withdraw their money.

If you want to bet with this type of capital, the only legal alternative is to convert it into euros and deposit this money in the online casino, using the payment method regulated and established by the entity itself.

Choice Casino assumes no responsibility for playing on these websites. Remember that casinos with cryptocurrencies in Spain are illegal.

Contribution of games of chance to the economy of Spain

Physical casinos and gaming halls declare their taxes before the tax administrations of the autonomous community in which they are located. These depend on your gross income, ranging from 15% to 58%, and vary by region. In addition, each autonomy establishes a fixed amount that the operator pays annually for each slot machine, depending on the type. On average, around 3,500 euros per year are taxed for each slot machine. For example, in Madrid, 10% of gross income is taxed, apart from the fixed taxes for each machine.

The tax rate for online casinos is between 20% and 25% of their gross income, according to Law 13/2011 regulating online gaming. According to a Codere study, online casinos generate more than 40,000 million euros a year, contributing more than 1,500 million euros to the State. Sports betting, poker and roulette are the types of games that raise the most money at the end of the year.

Taxes paid by casino players

All users who play in physical and online casinos in Spain are required to declare their gaming winnings in the Personal Income Tax (IRPF) in the annual income statement, taxing them as capital gains. In case the prize is not money, the player is also obliged to pay taxes on the gift, be it a trip or a car.

The percentage to be paid is calculated with the total income per year, ranging between 19% and 47%. The minimum taxable winnings from the game are €1,000 per year, provided that the annual income exceeds €22,000. If the player does not earn more than €22,000 per year, he may not have to declare the prize, if it does not exceed an amount of €5,000.

Choice Casino recommends declaring all types of gambling winnings in physical and online casinos in Spain, regardless of the player's annual income.

Self-exclusion and prevention of pathological gambling

The DGOJ offers the possibility of self-exclusion from online gambling, both virtual and live. To do this, the user must apply for registration in the General Registry of Gaming Access Bans (RGIAJ). By performing the procedure, the player is prevented from accessing any legal online gambling and betting sites. Those online casinos or websites that allow access to these players are illegal.

Concerning physical casinos and face-to-face games, it is more complicated to control the access of these users, even though the RGIAJ sends all the information on self-excluded players to the competent bodies of each autonomous community. And it is that it is difficult to monitor access to all casinos, kiosks, lottery administrations or gaming halls. However, self-excluded players will have difficulty collecting prizes.

To request the cancellation of said prohibition of access to games of chance, six months must elapse since the user requested it.

Characteristics of the gaming industry in Spain

Regulated gambling in Spain is safe and available to users over 18 years of age. All face-to-face and online gaming software are certified by the DGOJ, so they have the relevant licenses and comply with all regulations established at the state level.

Registration on an online gaming and betting website in Spain is only available to those players who reside in the country, who have a DNI or NIE if they are foreigners. Users who do not have this regulated documentation will not be able to access an online or physical casino. For their part, the gambling halls are open to the public of legal age.

On Choice Casino, you can find all legal physical and online casinos in Spain, as well as game rooms and bookmakers. After confirming their location, the user will be able to see the physical casinos and game rooms nearby, check their address, their hours, contact information and available games.

We recommend that you write a review on the Choice Casino website, about an online casino, physical casino, or a game room in Spain, to help other users to choose the establishments with a more complete and safe service.

Choice Casino is not responsible for the services of physical or online gambling establishments listed on the website, as well as user reviews. For any complaint about online or face-to-face gaming, you must address the competent regulatory authorities in matters of protection of the player's rights or report the fact to the police.