The Harm Reduction Journal has published a new study showing that the number of accounts created for online gambling in Spain has significantly decreased. The reduction was almost twofold, reaching this impressive figure since 2020, when strict rules on marketing and advertising were introduced in the country.
In 2023, players opened only 1.35 million new accounts. Advertising restrictions, which were approved by royal decree, took effect three years prior. The research results are based on data collected by the Spanish gambling regulator, the General Directorate for the Regulation of Gambling, from companies. They indicate that stricter regulations, including bans on welcome bonuses and advertising featuring celebrities, have had an impact. Additionally, the prohibition on prime-time advertising and sponsorship contributed to the sustained decline in activity. This also led to a decrease in total gross revenue from gambling.
In annual terms, the sharpest drop in registrations occurred in 2022. Their number decreased by 35% compared to the previous year. Thus, the growth trend has come to a halt, despite growth being observed every year between 2015 and 2020.
The royal decree was introduced in November 2020 and implemented in stages. In August 2021, the implementation of one of the strictest gambling regulations in Europe was completed. Television and radio advertising were restricted to a very short time slot, and marketing was banned altogether on video hosting sites such as YouTube. Operators are also prohibited from using public figures to promote gambling. As for sponsorship agreements with sports teams, these were gradually terminated by the end of the sports season.
Thanks to the decree, the number of new accounts fell not only significantly, but also immediately. In the second quarter of 2021 alone, there were 263,000 fewer accounts. This is even taking into account the disruptions caused by the pandemic. One of the likely factors behind the decline in new user engagement is the ban on welcome bonuses.
In 2024, some provisions of the Decree were repealed as a result of a lawsuit filed by the Spanish Digital Games Association. Articles prohibiting the use of celebrities and advertising on video-sharing platforms were repealed. Article 13, which imposed marketing restrictions on new account holders, was also repealed by the court.
Despite the sharp drop in new player registrations, there was an increase in total deposits. In 2023, deposits increased by almost a billion dollars. The total amount of bets also increased, although there was a slight decrease in 2022.
It is known that players invest the most money in so-called “instant” games. One of the most popular of these is Plinko, which is distinguished by its simple rules and fast rounds. There are even specialized information sites, for example, offering up-to-date selections of sites related to this game. For example, you can find here such information. Crash games and table games rank second after Plinko in terms of deposit volume.
The decree also hurt operators’ promotional and advertising budgets. At the same time, although advertising spending declined through 2022, it rose again in 2023. A similar trend was seen in bonus spending. Sponsorship spending fell the most, although it also increased in 2023, but this increase was insignificant. Thus, even though the court has somewhat softened the regime for gambling, it remains one of the strictest in Europe.
