Staff Reporter
Any ex-pat who has moved to Spain knows what a great lifestyle there is to enjoy and what a huge range of things there is to do in your spare time. Online casino gaming is one fun activity many like to try now and this has made it a growing sector in Spain. The overall health of not only online gambling but also the general casino industry in Spain is actually very positive right now. This saw Cirsa, who are the country’s leading casino operator, post Q3 profits of €100.6m in 2021
It gets even more promising when you factor in the new regulation’s casinos had to follow around COVID-19 when re-opening. With customers of land-based sites having to provide proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test to enter, many thought this would hit the profits of companies like Cirsa. As their Q3 profits from 2021 show though, this has not been the case! Hassle free implementation of new regulations for customers has helped– as has strict adherence to new rules which allow companies like Cirsa to operate at full capacity.
It is not just land-based sites which are doing well in Spain either – the Spanish online casino sector is also flourishing. This saw online casino revenue jump to almost €98m in the fourth quarter of 2020! There is no doubt that the pandemic has had an impact here too. As more people have started to prefer playing online from home and more casino operators have started to cater to this, online casinos in Spain have been given a real boost.
But why else are online casinos in Spain looking at such a rosy future?
Cool casino bonuses for online players
Casino bonuses have always been a big draw for people when it comes to casino games online. The same is true for Spain, where the best and most varied offers online casinos have available draw many players away from competitors. It is key to find these offers, so you get the most bang for your buck. Looking for offers which give a decent number of Free Spins, large, matched deposit bonuses, no deposit bonuses or low wagering requirements is wise for example.
Choice of safe and fun places to play
If you are moving to Spain, it is always best to know how the culture works and what things there are to do in your spare time. Online casino play is something more and more people enjoy, and this has been made possible by the raft of licensed platforms which have sprung up. The constant flood of new platforms for ex-pats to game at is also why the future is promising for iGaming in Spain. This will not only give people new places to play at and keep the sector fresh but also ensure people can game at sites which have the theme or features they like.
Changes to legislation and attitudes has helped
When it comes to the positive outlook for iGaming in Spain moving forward, recent changes to both laws and attitudes have been a major factor. The decision by the Ministry of Finance to cut gambling taxes on operators in 2018 for example helped stimulate this sector to greater heights. The presence of the DGOJ in Spain to regulate online casinos also helps people to feel confident enough to play online.
Of course, you also have to mention how changing outlooks on iGaming around the country has had an influence. As in the rest of the world, people in Spain now see online casino play as a valid pastime and something which is acceptable to do. This has helped more people start to play online and should see the industry grow in future, as more players enter the industry.
Online casinos in Spain set for bright future
With calls for Spain to revive tourism hit by COVID-19, the country is starting to look beyond what has happened in recent years. The profits shown by Cirsa suggest this is starting to take hold, now that operators have shown new regulations can be worked with and how online casino platforms can help.
Of course, the online casino sector is especially important because it is not affected by any new regulations or the pandemic itself per se. This helps issues which land-based businesses might still face – such as COVID passes putting off bar customers in the Costa Blanca or those who might want to visit a land-based casino in Spain. These types of considerations are not an issue for iGaming sites. This enables casinos to offer online play to customers and continue to grow in future. This in turn should also see the Spanish online casino sector prosper as time moves on.
