Online Gaming Continues to Grow, with New Operators, More Betting Venues and More Facilities for Betting Online

SPAIN (November 26, 2023) — According to local media reports online gaming continues to grow, with new operators, more betting houses and more facilities for betting online. Cirsa, with well-known brands such as Sportium; Bet365 and Flutter Entertainment, with international subsidiaries such as Pokerstars, have increased their income by 23% to reach 13,811 million euros in 2022. In addition, the net profit of the three betting houses has risen to 5,278 million, 14.6 % than the previous year.

Local media outlet ‘ elEconomista.es‘ reports the betting house that has increased its income the most has been Cirsa. The company has managed to exceed its turnover and place it at 1,741 million, 56% more. In addition, it has cleaned up its accounts and has abandoned the losses of 151 million that it had in 2021 to close 2022 with a net result of 56.6 million. Cirsa has Sportium as an independent brand. In Spain, Sportium Retail, the national betting machine operator, reported losses of 1.3 million, despite achieving revenues of 62.4 million, according to the latest accounts published in the Commercial Registry.

And finally, there would be Bet365. The English brand has a turnover of 3,282 million, which represents just an increase of 2% compared to 2021. The opposite occurs with profit, since it falls 89% in just one year, reaching 49 million . In the latest accounts published by the company they explain that their objective is “to drive profitable growth in Italy, thanks to the acquisition of Sisal we have achieved a market share of 21%; in Spain, Georgia and Armenia.”

Closely followed by Flutter Entertainment. The company, best known for its subsidiary Pokerstars, has gone from having revenues of 6.8 million in 2021 to closing last year with a figure of 8.7 million. Specifically, 27.5% in just one year. This growth has been accompanied by a reduction in the red numbers. Thus, it has reduced losses by 27% between 2021 and 2022, reaching 347 million.

Other betting houses

In addition to these three betting houses, there are two others with great weight in the sector. Corporate 888, with subsidiaries as well-known as William Hill, left the red numbers and closed 2022 with a profit of 193.3 million. However, the company reduced its income, going from 1,424 million in 2021 to 1,417 million in the last fiscal year. “We are focused on markets such as Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom. Although we are awaiting possible changes if the Royal Decree on responsible gaming is approved, because it would mean the implementation of new requirements and new policies,” the group alleges in its annual accounts. .

With an even greater decline is Super Group. The company has such well-known brands as Betway and closed 2022 with revenues of 1,292 million and a net result of 182.3 million, 2.1% and 22.7% less respectively. The betting house explains that this decline is due to the fact that “gaming and betting advertising was relegated to nighttime hours in 2021. This has had an adverse impact on our ability to grow” in the Spanish market. To which they add that “we hope to continue growing our business in Spain through alternative marketing channels.”

In Spain

In Spain there are about 80 licensed operators, according to the latest data published by the General Directorate of Gambling Regulation (DGOJ). A fact that has been growing in recent years, in addition, online gaming has broken a growth record and everything indicates that this year it will exceed, for the first time, the 1,000 million turnover, after having closed last year with 963 million. .
The sector has a very marked and clearly ascending roadmap, where it is increasingly gaining more relevance and ground, since any type of bet can now be made on the Internet, from playing bingo to being on a slot machine.

In fact, according to the 2022 Gaming Yearbook in Spain prepared by the Gaming Business Council (Cejuego), online gaming already represented 8.7% of income from real gaming, 9,285 million. More and more accounts are activated. In fact, in the second quarter, according to Consumer data, there were 1.1 million, 11.4% more year-on-year. This is related to the emergence of more websites where you can play, thus, the monthly average of accounts created now amounts to a total of 102,804, something that is explained by the rise of new players.

By: Maria Juarez

SOURCE: elEconomista.es.