Spanish lawmakers have assigned the return of win bonuses as ushering in a significant surge in iGaming activity.
Data published by the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption and the 2030 Agenda (MAS) revealed a rise in online players in 2024. The increase was 21.36%. The number of accounts grew by 23.48%.
In 2020, Spain restricted welcome bonuses as part of a broader advertising and marketing reform under Royal Decree 9587/2000. Yet, they returned in April of the past year after a Supreme Court annulled aspects of their decree.
Data from DGOJ, Spain’s gambling regulator, shows that Spanish betting firms invested €526 million in marketing campaigns last year. This included €261 million on promotions, €203 million on advertising, €56 million on membership expenses, and €5.45 million on sponsorships.
News of the impact of welcome bonuses has alarmed Spanish lawmakers. Minister Pablo Bustinduy, who heads MAS, has proposed an amendment to restrict promotional incentives.
If implemented, the restrictions would join a growing wave of structural reforms in the country. They would cement Spain’s position as one of Europe’s most tightly regulated jurisdictions, alongside the Netherlands, Italy, and Belgium.
The changes feature a likely return of advertising restrictions, cross-platform deposit limits, and a government-backed algorithm to detect gambling harm.
Industry experts have recently issued warnings that tightening regulations must be complemented by an efficient player experience even though designed to protect players.
Speaking at the previous Gaming in Spain conference, Jdigital Director General Jorge Hinojosa addressed the audience. He said that strict measures address only part of the problem.
He said that the reforms introduced over the past seven years have rightly focused on player protection. But in his opinion, policymakers have not complemented them with measures to keep the market more competitive.
