Spanish online market grows 11% in 2014
Total GGR increases to 254m as market enjoys strong end to the year as sports betting grows strongly
Spain’s online market grew 11% in 2014 after a strong end to the year from the sports betting vertical helped annual gross gaming revenues (GGR) rise to 254m.
According to the latest figures published by the country’s regulator, Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego, Q4 revenues totalled 65.6m, a 10% increase on the 59.4m posted in 2013.
Sports betting continued to dominate the market during the three-month period, accumulating GGR of 34.3m – a 52% share of the total market.
Poker was next with 16.6m GGR, despite a 3.5% year-on-year decline, while the country’s slots-less casino market grew 8% to 11.1m.
Total turnover during the quarter was 1.85bn, a 26% jump on the 1.47bn recorded in Q4 2013.
The regulator also released details on marketing spend, with operators said to have invested 20.1m on “advertising, sponsorship and promotion” during Q4, a sequential increase of 59% but just a 3% rise when compared to the same period in 2013.
The Spanish market is expected to grow further in 2015 after the regulator re-opened its licensing window and approved the addition of slots to the casino portfolio of games late last year.
Around a dozen new licensees are expected to join the market in the coming months with the likes of Eurobet, BetClic Everest and SKS365 having all applied for a permit.