There are plenty of reasons to travel to Spain, be it temporarily or permanently. But what if you fancy a flutter while you're there? Read on to find out about the gambling laws in the country as well as the best Spanish betting sites, popular payment methods, and more!

  • Great football outright markets incl. major international matches
  • Excellent Livestreaming
  • Popular choice in Spain for their odds
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Established in 2000
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18+ Offer for new customers at bet365. Min deposit requirement. Free Bets are paid as Bet Credits and are available for use upon settlement of bets to value of qualifying deposit. Min odds, bet and payment method exclusions apply. Returns exclude Bet Credits stake. Time limits and Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. BeGambleAware.org #ad
  • Great Betway odds boost on Spanish basketball
  • Available in Spanish
  • Offers on accumulator bets
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Established in 2006
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18+ Join Betway for cash prizes, bonus spins and much more. Choose the SPORTS NEW CUSTOMER SPECIAL. Get up to €30 in free bets + 20 free spins on 9 Masks of Fire. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. BeGambleAware.org #ad
  • Terrific Tennis odds on offer both pre-match and in-play
  • Top European bookmaker well-known for their sports betting
  • Bet builder available on most sports
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Established in 1997
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18+ Build your bet with your favourite picks to get better odds! Build A Bet is a new feature from bwin that allows you to combine selections from the same Match into a single bet with bigger returns. Simply click on the Build A Bet and open the Build A Bet interface. Then start adding your selections. When you are ready to place the bet, add the bet to the bet slip. You can enjoy Build A Bet in all important football matches. You can add a minimum of 2 picks and a maximum of 8 picks per bet. Of course you have the option to add any pick of the 3-way market, but you can also choose from many other markets as ‘Who will score?', ‘Who will get carded?', ‘Will both teams score?' ‘How many corners?', etc. All markets will be settled based on official results supplied by OPTA. Betbuilder bets placed on Football apply to 90 minutes plus injury time, unless it is explicitly stated that the bet applies to Extra-time and Penalties. Match officials determine whether the full 90 minutes and injury time has been played. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. BeGambleAware.org #ad
  • Available in Spanish
  • Live betting match stats
  • Odds boosts for specific events
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UK Gambling Commission
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Cryptocurrency
Established in 1934
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18+ New customers using Promo code H30 only, Min £10/€10 stake, min odds 1/2, free bets paid as 2 x £15/€15, free bets credited after settlement of first qualifying bet, free bets will expire 30 days after the qualifying bet is placed, payment method/player/country restrictions apply. See full terms below. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. BeGambleAware.org #ad
  • Offers popular payment methods in Spain
  • Dedicated “Statistics & Live Scores” section
  • Competitive in-play tennis odds
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18+ Match and win with the best American sports! Get your €10 free bet every day! Participate in the promotion. Make a minimum deposit of €20, you can make your combinations in the indicated sports every day! Place your bets. Place 2 or more bets for MLS, NBA, NHL, MLB or NFL of at least €10 each and a minimum odds of 3.00. Receive your free bet. If luck turns against you in your combinations, we will give you a €10 free bet. Every day! Offer valid only for verified users who have been registered with us for more than 30 days! Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. BeGambleAware.org #ad

Spain is a nation passionate about sport, so it may not be much of a surprise to learn that the Spanish betting scene is huge. Although gambling was legalised in 2011, the first betting licence wasn't granted until 2012. This slow start wasn't ideal, but the process was refined all the same, and many bookmakers began to enter the market as a result.

Betting in Spain has become immensely popular, with a report claiming that 9 in 10 Spanish adults engage in some form of online gaming on a consistent basis.

One of the main barriers of entry in the country, however, is Spanish income tax law. Tax rates are quite high for both operators and players and can be an obstacle to betting in Spain.

Online gambling is regulated in Spain thanks to the Spanish Gambling Act, which has been in place since 2011. Before this law passed, betting in Spain was restricted and unregulated, with only a select few companies legally allowed to offer their services.

For an operator to offer their services in Spain, they have to apply for and receive a licence from Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ), the government-controlled Spanish regulatory body, first. If successful, they usually operate with an .es domain name and are granted a licence from Juego Seguro (“Safe Play“).

Spanish Betting Tax Laws

Spanish tax laws are very different from those in other European countries. Betting operators have to pay taxes, which is standard, but there is also a complex system of tax rates depending on the winnings of the players.

For bookmakers it's quite simple: 20% of all gross gambling revenue (GGR) is taxed.

For the gambler, the situation is a little more complicated, as winnings are treated as taxable income. There is a four-tier tax system, which is as follows:

Gross WinningsTax Rate
Up to €12,45019% tax
€12,450 – €20,20024% tax
€20,200 – €35,20030% tax
Above €35,20037% tax

It's important to know that losing bets can be deducted from the total winnings, i.e. you don't have to pay tax every time you win – only if you win more than you lose.

As of January 2023, gross winnings below €300 do not need to be declared. However, the Ministry of Finance is planning to change the current law to cover all winnings, including those under €300.

  • You must be at least 18 years old to bet in Spain.
  • Winnings up to €12,450 are taxed at a rate of 19%. Tax rates increase at certain intervals, depending on how much is won.
  • The Euro (€) is accepted by all bookmakers operating in Spain.
  • You’ll also have to enter your DNI number (found on your Documento nacional de identidad, the national ID card). Bookies may request a copy of this document, as well as proof of your address, to verify your account.
  • Most Spanish betting sites will be set to the Spanish language by default, though many of them will allow you to change to English or other languages.

Before you decide to create an account with any betting site online, there are a few boxes that the bookie in question should tick before you go ahead and register. We've gone through the most important of these below, explaining why they are important to you as a punter.

First of all, you should check to see whether the site is licensed to operate in Spain. If they bear the .es country domain and display the Juego Seguro logo at the bottom of the page, then these are good indicators that it is legitimate. If you want to be extra sure, you can check out this list of licensed Spanish bookies to see whether the operator you'd like to register with in appears there.

Technically, you don’t have to bet with these sites – you’ll still be able to find and register with bookies that aren’t licensed. However, this isn’t advisable. If anything goes wrong, you won’t be able to get any help. Stick to the sites mentioned in this article to avoid any risks.

juego seguro logo
‘Juego Seguro' logo showing the site has been licensed (source: Juego Seguro)

Also worth taking into account is what kind of welcome bonus is on offer. Claiming these promotions after signing up to a new site is a smart way to boost your bankroll and to get yourself started the right way. There are plenty of Spanish betting sites with generous bonuses up for grabs – bet365 is a great example – and this should be part of your decision-making process while sizing up your next bookie.

Finally, regardless of where you’re betting from, we always recommend you choose a bookie that has a proven track record for competitive odds. While we avoid recommending operators who don’t offer players value for their money, we still suggest you go ahead and calculate the odds overround before registering.

For UK punters, there's nothing new when it comes to betting payment methods in Spain. Most deposit into their account using well-known methods like debit cards (such as Visa and Mastercard), e-wallets (like PayPal, Skrill, Trustly, and NETELLER), bank transfers, and paysafecard.

It’s worth pointing out that, unlike in the UK, players in Spain are allowed to deposit using their credit cards. Keep in mind, though, that there might be some restrictions on deposit methods when it comes to claiming welcome offers.

Most of these methods can be used for withdrawals, but the process will take longer in comparison to deposits. Withdrawal times and minimum amounts differ across different sites, so be sure to browse through the T&Cs to know what to expect.

Live betting is an excellent way to experience betting amidst all the chaos and drama an event could provide. Spain has an in-play market on par with the rest of Europe’s elite betting markets, meaning you won’t be missing out on any of the action.

The top betting sites will also all offer some sort of in-matched stats, ranging from general statistics to a live score, and commentary. This is excellent for punters looking to make in-play bets even if they aren’t actually watching the event.

Live Streaming

Some betting platforms even have the option to watch matches live from the site. This feature is amazing for sports fans, especially for sports which don’t get much coverage on regular TV.

Not every bookie offers this however, so we suggest checking the terms and conditions of your operator of choice to make sure that live-streaming services are provided.

The betting offer in Spain is relatively similar to that of the UK, as many international bookmakers hold a Spanish gambling licence. The large number of well-known providers means that you can start betting without having to learn how a Spanish website works.

In some cases, it may be advisable to use a VPN – especially if you want to continue using a particular account. If you decide to do this, make sure that your bookie is a VPN-friendly site.

It’s no secret that Spain loves sport, especially when you consider how many Spanish athletes shine in their respective fields in front of an international audience. The Spanish football team, known as La Furia Roja, boasts some of the best players in the world, having claimed both the Euros and World Cup trophies in recent years.

Not to mention the Spanish stars in tennis, Moto GP, Formula 1, basketball… the list goes on!

Online gambling is completely legal in Spain, and betting sites can operate so long as they have acquired a licence from Juego Seguro.

There are a lot of big names offering their services to Spanish-based players, with bet365 and Betway being our top two picks.

Yes, a 19% tax will be levied on all profits over €300. If your total profit exceeds €12,450, you’ll have to pay 24% tax, and depending on the amount of the profit, the rate increases further to 37%.

Debit and credit cards such as Visa and Mastercard, e-wallets like Skrill, NETELLER, PayPal and Trustly, as well as bank transfers and paysafecard, are all popular payment methods accepted by Spanish betting sites.

Boasting a population of almost 50 million, the country of Spain is gifted with exceptional cuisine, fine sunshine, and jaw-dropping scenery. If you’re looking to place a few bets from the sunny Spanish shore, you’re in luck! Betting in Spain is a breeze, with a host of superb welcome offers to redeem and great odds to take advantage of. There are many familiar bookies to choose from as well, so there’s no need to stray from any trustworthy names you're used to. Be safe and enjoy punting in España!

WRITTEN BY Jeremy Sant Fournier
View all posts by Jeremy Sant Fournier

If there’s one thing Jeremy loves, it’s sports. A football fanatic at heart, Jeremy can always been found watching, playing or talking about sports. It’s in his blood, and with a keen interest in sports betting, sports writing is a match made in heaven.

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