Operator News
Spain – Sports betting shows marked increase in Aragon
By Phil - 27 June 2018
The sports betting market in Spain’s autonomous community of Aragon is continuing to grow and saw a sharp increase in 2016 according to the latest report released by the General Directorate of Justice and the Interior of the Government of Aragón (DGA).
The DGA revealed that sports betting increased by almost €7m more than in 2016 an increase of 12.4 per cent. It is the first time that sports betting has crossed the €60m barrier. In all €62.7m was bet on sports in 2017 compared to €55.8m in 2016. This in turn is a significant increase compared to 2013 the year sports betting was allowed for the first time when it stood at €27m. Another record was beaten when it came to player winnings, which reached €51.3m. In all in 2017 sports, betting returned a profit of €11,408,761.57.
Currently in Aragón there are nine betting companies present in 130 locations. In addition to the three venues dedicated exclusively to sports betting players can also bet in separate sports betting areas belonging to other gaming establishments such as bingo halls and slot parlours. In all, there are now 115 gaming rooms, 11 bingo halls, and one small-scale casino located in Zaragoza (which also offers sports betting on site).
Electronic bingo also reported significant growth according to the report, which after two years of decline, returned to the figures recorded in 2014, when it generated almost €7m. While in 2016 it failed to reach €3.5m in 2017 bingo reported €6m in sales. By the end of 2017, there were 5 bingo halls and 28 gaming halls, which housed electronic bingo terminals.
The DGA also reported am in increase in tax revenues generated by lotteries, raffles, tickets and promotional draws which generated over €1,812,000 in tax 2017. The government in the report stated that it intended to strengthen regulation over this sector so that they are “reliable, safe and transparent.” In addition, the government also said that it would also seek to “revitalise” the bingo sector which is still the most popular type of game generating €81.7m in sales in 2017 – its third consecutive year of growth. However, it is still far from the values prior to the crisis – as in 2006 sales exceeded €194m. Claiming that it generates “wealth and jobs”, the government wants to improve bingo’s competitiveness over other games by increasing the return on prizes by as much as three per cent.
