How to Open a Casino or Sportsbook in Spain — 2026 Guide
Spain's route to market is unlike most: no new licences have been issued since 2018, and no foreign licence, from any platform vendor, grants entry. Here's what that actually means, what it costs, and how six comparable technology platforms compare once you're past that gate.
What You Need to Launch an Online Casino in Spain
The short checklist — Spain's first item is the one every other market guide gets wrong by analogy:
- Control of an existing DGOJ-licensed operator. Spain's General Licences are issued only through public tenders; the last one closed in December 2018 with no new call announced. The only lawful route into the regulated market today is acquiring a company that already holds one, with DGOJ approval of the ownership change before completion.
- A €2,000,000 financial guarantee per General Licence (reducible from year two with clean compliance history), plus acquisition costs that scale with the target's GGR track record.
- A technology platform — turnkey, white-label, or build-your-own — chosen independently of the licensing step; no platform vendor's own licence substitutes for DGOJ authorization.
- DGOJ-compliant payment rails. Bizum, cards, bank transfer, and e-wallets are standard; direct cryptocurrency deposits are not permitted for DGOJ-regulated play.
- KYC/AML tooling and the mandatory Responsible Gaming Fund contribution.
- Advertising compliance under Spain's currently-in-flux gambling ad framework (several 2020 restrictions were annulled by the Supreme Court in 2024; a replacement bill is pending).
- Tax registration for the 20% gaming tax (IAJ), 2% Responsible Gaming Fund levy, 0.075% regulatory levy, and standard 25% corporate income tax.
Step 1 is not a formality here the way it can be elsewhere — it is the whole game. Steps 3 onward only matter once step 1 is solved.
The Legality of Online Casino Gaming and Sports Betting in Spain
Online gambling is legal and regulated federally under Ley 13/2011 de regulación del juego, overseen by the Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ). Unlike many markets, Spain does not run an open, rolling licence application process: General Licences (10-year terms, one per vertical: betting, other games, etc.) have been issued only through three public tenders, the last of which closed in December 2018, with no future call announced as of 2026.
The only lawful way into the regulated market today is M&A: acquiring a company that already holds a General Licence (and, typically, the Singular Licences authorizing specific product types under it), with DGOJ regulatory approval of the change of control required before the deal closes. This applies uniformly regardless of technology vendor — no platform provider's own foreign licence, however well-regarded, substitutes for this. It is a structurally different reality from markets that offer a direct-application route or a foreign-licence- recognition permit, and it is worth stating plainly rather than glossing over: all six platforms compared on this site hold licences that have no bearing on Spanish market access.
Popular Types of Online Gambling in Spain
DGOJ publishes quarterly market data by vertical, so this is one of the more precisely sourced sections on the site. Q1 2026 figures, the most recent at time of writing:
| Segment | GGR (Q1 2026) | Market share | YoY growth | QoQ change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casino (slots, roulette, blackjack, live) | €247.79M | 54.56% | +21.77% | +2.44% |
| Sports betting | €174.47M | 38.42% | +5.13% | −17.21% |
| Poker | €28.29M | 6.23% | +10.88% | −2.91% |
| Bingo | €3.61M | 0.79% | −0.43% | −4.22% |
Total Q1 2026 GGR reached €454.16 million, up 13.94% year-on-year though down 6.46% versus the prior quarter (a seasonal pattern tied to the winter football calendar easing off). Casino is both the largest segment and the only one that grew quarter-on-quarter as well as year-on-year; slot machines specifically grew 22.68% annually. Sports betting's sharp 17.21% sequential drop, despite a positive year-on-year figure, reflects the same seasonal pattern rather than a sudden collapse. Active monthly player accounts averaged 1.89 million, up 8.90% year-on-year.
Lottery products (Loterías y Apuestas del Estado, ONCE) sit outside DGOJ's online gambling remit as a separate state-run monopoly, so they don't appear in this table even though they're a large and popular category of gambling in Spain generally.
Online Gambling Taxes in Spain
- Gaming tax (IAJ): 20% of Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR).
- Responsible Gaming Fund levy: 2% of GGR.
- Regulatory levy: 0.075% of GGR.
- Corporate income tax: standard 25% on profits.
Combined effective burden on online casino operations can exceed 40% once all layers are counted. These are the rates as reported at time of writing; confirm current rates directly with the DGOJ or Spanish tax counsel before budgeting, since fee and tax schedules are set by the regulator and the Hacienda, not by this guide.
Advertising and Marketing Rules for iGaming in Spain
Spain's gambling advertising framework is genuinely in flux, which is itself the most useful fact to lead with. Royal Decree 958/2020 originally imposed strict limits: a general ban on attracting new customers via promotions, a ban on public figures/celebrities appearing in gambling ads, broad restrictions on social media and video-platform advertising, and time-slot limits on broadcast media. Spain's Supreme Court annulled several of these provisions in 2024 for lacking proper legal basis, including the promotions ban, the celebrity-endorsement ban, and most digital-platform restrictions.
What remains in force: time-slot limitations on audiovisual media during periods of "reinforced protection" (child-audience hours) and certain broadcast content limits, plus a general requirement that operators hold valid authorization before advertising at all. A new bill has been proposed to reinstate stricter rules through ordinary legislation rather than Royal Decree, so this is an area to re-check immediately before any campaign, not to treat as settled.
Popular Payment Methods in Spanish Online Casinos
| Method | Typical limits | Fee | Speed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bizum | €5 minimum, €500–€600 maximum (bank-dependent) | None reported | Instant | Deposits only — Spanish casinos generally do not process withdrawals via Bizum |
| Debit/credit card | Card-dependent | Card-dependent | Instant | Widely accepted |
| Bank transfer | Bank-dependent | Bank-dependent | Same day–instant | Standard fallback for larger amounts |
| PayPal | Account-dependent | Typically none for deposits | Instant | Common alternative to cards |
| Skrill / Neteller | Account-dependent | Varies | Instant | Standard e-wallets across DGOJ-licensed sites |
Bizum specifically has become one of the most widely used deposit methods in the Spanish market, valued for not requiring players to share bank or card details directly with the casino.
Cryptocurrency Support
Direct wallet-to-casino cryptocurrency deposits are not permitted for DGOJ-licensed operators. The regulator requires that any payment innovation, crypto included, meet the same AML and consumer-protection standards as traditional rails, and crypto does not currently clear that bar as a direct method. The market's workaround is licensed on-ramp intermediaries (e.g., Bitnovo Pay) that convert cryptocurrency to fiat, subject to full KYC/AML, before the funds reach a DGOJ-regulated operator — withdrawals in that flow are fiat-only.
Practical implication worth stating plainly: several platforms in this comparison disclose direct Bitcoin/Ethereum settlement as a platform capability. That capability is real at the technology layer and is not, by itself, usable for a DGOJ-regulated Spanish operation without a separate licensed fiat on-ramp — a platform's crypto support and Spain's regulatory acceptance of crypto are two different questions, and conflating them is a real risk in this specific market.
Risks & Opportunities of the Spain iGaming Market
Opportunities
The regulated market is growing, not stagnating. DGOJ's own Q1 2026 figures put total online GGR at €454.16M, up 13.94% year-on-year, with almost 1.89 million active player accounts (+8.90% YoY). Casino is the standout: €247.79M and 54.56% of the market, up 21.77% YoY — and the only vertical that also grew quarter-on-quarter (+2.44%), with slots alone up 22.68% YoY. Poker is a smaller but steadily expanding niche (+10.88% YoY). For an operator entering via acquisition, that translates into a market that is still adding real players and real spend each quarter, not one an entrant has to fight to a standstill just to hold share. GiG's decision to pursue direct Spain certification alongside its other licences is one concrete signal that platform vendors continue to treat the market as worth the compliance investment.
Risks
The same regulator driving that growth is also the source of the market's biggest open question. Legal commentary on the DGOJ's relationship with the industry describes a lack of "meaningful dialogue" and an apparent intent to reinstate, by other regulatory means, advertising restrictions the Supreme Court partially annulled in 2024 — which means the post-2024 advertising freedom described above should be treated as contested rather than settled. Layered on top of that: new mandatory addiction-risk and loss-probability warning labels are expected on marketing and product surfaces, which will plausibly add friction at the point of play and could dampen impulse conversion in some segments; and upcoming mandatory deposit limits plus automated risk-detection requirements will add real operational and engineering complexity for any licence holder, acquired or built. Two data points are also worth flagging rather than glossing over: the black market captured an estimated €231 million in 2024 — around 16% of the regulated market's value — with younger demographics disproportionately represented among players who migrate to unlicensed sites; and sports betting, despite growing 5.13% YoY, fell 17.21% quarter-on-quarter in Q1 2026, a swing large enough to watch even allowing for normal seasonal variation around major sporting calendars.
Net read for this site: Spain's regulated iGaming market is real, growing, and still attracting serious platform investment — but it is also a market where the compliance rulebook keeps moving, and any acquisition-based entry should be underwritten with that regulatory volatility priced in, not treated as a one-time cost paid at the M&A closing table.
Choosing Your Technology Model: Turnkey, White-Label, or Build-Your-Own
Exactly as in any market, three real models exist, and none of them touches the market-entry question above:
- White-label — fastest, cheapest, usually under the vendor's own licence; that licence still does not grant Spanish market access, which depends entirely on the M&A step.
- Turnkey — own brand on the vendor's stack; the operator still needs to be, or become through acquisition, the actual DGOJ licence holder.
- Build-your-own — full control, highest cost, same market-entry requirement applies regardless.
Pick a technology model based on speed/control trade-offs; pick a market-entry strategy based on whether you can execute an acquisition of an existing licensed operator, because in Spain those are the only two levers that exist.
Six Platforms Profiled — Not Ranked
We profile six leading iGaming platforms — White Hat Gaming, Digitain, Delasport, GiG, Pronet Gaming, and PWP.BET — against eight disclosed criteria. No 0–10 scores, no "editor's choice" badge, and every platform's licence here, including PWP.BET's, still doesn't grant access to the Spanish market on its own.
White Hat Gaming
Modular casino and sportsbook platform with the broadest disclosed licensing footprint in this comparison.
Notable for: Broadest disclosed licensing footprint of the six: 26+ regulatory bodies, spanning numerous US states plus Malta and the UK.
Digitain
Sportsbook-led B2B platform with named enterprise clients and a proprietary payment gateway.
Notable for: Named, verifiable reference clients (888 Sport, AdmiralBET, Winmasters, and others) and a proprietary payment gateway (Paydrom) — disclosure most peers in this set don't match.
Delasport
Sportsbook, casino, and platform (Orbit) provider with certified compliance across a dozen regulated markets.
Notable for: Newest founding date of the group's more-established tier (2010) paired with the broadest disclosed office footprint (multiple international hubs, 400+ staff).
GiG (Gaming Innovation Group)
Mobile-first casino and sportsbook platform certified directly in Spain, alongside several other EU and US markets.
Notable for: The only platform in this comparison independently certified in Spain specifically — a direct, sourced Spain connection none of its five peers here disclose.
Pronet Gaming
Turnkey casino and sportsbook platform with the longest operating history in this comparison, relaunched as pure B2B in 2019.
Notable for: Longest disclosed operating history of the six (founded 1996) and a game catalog (15,000+) roughly matching PWP.BET's, making the two the closest head-to-head in this set on that specific metric.
PWP.BET (PlayWinPlay)
Turnkey casino and sportsbook platform with a mid-size catalog and the most specifically named payment mix in this comparison.
Notable for: The most specifically named payment methods of the six platforms compared here — cards plus three named e-wallets plus two named cryptocurrencies — even though it ties for the narrowest disclosed licensing footprint.
Decision Matrix: Which Provider Fits Which Priority
Not a ranking. Each row names a genuine priority and the provider the sourced facts actually support for it.
| If your priority is… | …consider | Why (sourced) |
|---|---|---|
| Broadest disclosed licensing footprint | White Hat Gaming | 26+ regulatory bodies, including numerous US states, MGA, and UKGC |
| Named enterprise clients and a proprietary payment gateway | Digitain | 20+ licensed markets over 5 years; named clients incl. 888 Sport, AdmiralBET; proprietary Paydrom gateway |
| The most specifically named payment mix, including crypto | PWP.BET | Cards, Skrill, Neteller, EcoPayz, Bitcoin, Ethereum — named plainly, unlike most peers here |
| Multi-jurisdiction EU coverage with direct Spain certification | GiG | Certified in Spain itself, plus Sweden, Iowa, Croatia, Latvia, MGA, UKGC |
| Longest disclosed operating history | Pronet Gaming | Founded 1996; relaunched as pure B2B in 2019 |
| Newest infrastructure with the broadest office footprint | Delasport | Founded 2010; 12 licensed jurisdictions; 400+ staff across multiple countries |
4-Step "How to Choose" Timeline
- Solve market entry first. Identify and evaluate acquisition targets holding an existing DGOJ General Licence — this is the actual first step in Spain, not a formality alongside technology selection.
- Pick your launch model once entry is solved: turnkey, white-label, or build-your-own.
- Shortlist 2–3 platform vendors against the 8 criteria, and ask each for a current licence certificate and named reference clients, not just marketing copy.
- Confirm payment and advertising compliance directly with DGOJ-experienced counsel before launch — Spain's ad rules are actively changing, and crypto payment flows need a licensed on-ramp, not a platform integration alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a new online casino licence in Spain in 2026?
Not through direct application. Spain's General Licences have only ever been issued through public tenders, and the last one closed in December 2018 with no future call announced. The only lawful route into the regulated market is acquiring a company that already holds one.
Does a platform vendor's own licence grant Spanish market access?
No. A technology platform's own gaming licence, however well-regarded, has no bearing on Spanish market access. Only holding, or acquiring, a DGOJ General Licence does.
Which platform is best for a Spain-facing launch?
It depends on your priority, and market entry isn't something any of the six platforms compared here can solve for you. Compare them by licensing footprint, game catalog, payment mix, and named clients, and shortlist against your own launch requirements.
Can I accept cryptocurrency deposits for a DGOJ-licensed casino?
Not directly. DGOJ-licensed operators use licensed fiat on-ramp services (such as Bitnovo Pay) that convert crypto to fiat under full KYC/AML before funds reach the regulated operator; direct wallet-to-casino crypto deposits are not permitted.
What does Spanish gambling tax actually cost?
20% gaming tax on GGR, plus a 2% Responsible Gaming Fund levy, a 0.075% regulatory levy, and standard 25% corporate income tax — a combined burden that can exceed 40% once layered.
Are Spain's gambling ad restrictions still in force?
Partially. Spain's Supreme Court annulled several 2020 restrictions in 2024, including the promotions ban and the celebrity-endorsement ban, while keeping child-hours broadcast limits. A new bill may reinstate stricter rules — this area is actively changing, so verify the current framework before any campaign.
How do I compare platform vendors fairly for a Spain-facing business?
Ask each for a current licence certificate, named reference clients, and disclosed game catalog and payment specifics — then weigh those against whether you've actually solved market entry, since none of the six platforms compared here solve that step for you.
Are these platform profiles independently tested?
No — every fact is sourced from each company's own published materials and independent trade coverage, not hands-on testing. Where a fact isn't publicly disclosed, we say so instead of estimating it.