Grupo RETABET strengthens presence in Melilla after integrating five venues and staff

Grupo RETABET has strengthened its on‑site presence in Melilla after completing the integration of a family business one year after its acquisition. The operation left the group with five venues in the autonomous city and retained more than 20 employees who joined the group's payroll, the company confirmed during a visit by its CEO.

Operation and business continuity in Melilla

The acquisition of the family business, whose name was not disclosed in the communication, allowed Grupo RETABET to secure the continuity of an operation with decades of history in Melilla. The transaction closed approximately twelve months ago and the company has spent that period integrating processes, teams and operations into the group’s chain.

The operating outcome in the city is a network of five venues for in‑person gaming which, the company says, account for more than 20 jobs. The staff from the family business were absorbed en bloc into RETABET’s team, which the company highlighted as a priority to ensure employment stability and continuity of customer service.

CEO statements and consolidation objectives

Xabier Rodríguez‑Maribona, CEO of Grupo RETABET, visited Melilla to support the local team and assess the project’s progress after the integration. Rodríguez‑Maribona emphasised the contribution the group’s activity makes to the local economy through job creation, economic activity and tax revenue.

"Maintaining and developing stable business projects is essential to promote the economic development of both cities," Rodríguez‑Maribona said during the visit.

The executive added that the integration aimed not only to preserve the existing operations but also to consolidate the project over the long term and guarantee the continuity of the jobs resulting from the purchase.

Regional presence: Melilla and Ceuta

In addition to its five venues in Melilla, Grupo RETABET maintains retail operations in Ceuta. The company describes itself as a leader in in‑person betting in Melilla and also highlights its activity in the segment of gaming halls, where it holds the locations integrated into the city.

Activity in both cities is part of the group’s retail strategy and, according to management, contributes directly to local tax revenues and to business generation in the regional economy. This cross‑border presence has been a central point in the CEO’s explanations about the company’s economic impact.

Operational challenges: border closures

Rodríguez‑Maribona noted that border closures complicate cross‑border activity and reduce economic movement between the two shores. The lack of cross‑border activity, he said, harms customer flows and therefore negatively affects the commercial activity of operators that historically depended on that flow.

The visit to Melilla was planned in advance and coincided with a week of media attention on Ceuta and Melilla, a circumstance the company said it had taken into account when scheduling the CEO’s agenda. The trip was Rodríguez‑Maribona’s fourth personal visit to Melilla, a gesture the executive described as necessary to keep direct contact with the team and closely monitor business developments.

Labor and operational integration after the acquisition

The incorporation of the family business’s staff was done en bloc, the company said. During the twelve‑month integration period, Grupo RETABET worked to align operating procedures, management systems and staff training to keep activity at the venues running without interruption.

Stated objectives included maintaining relationships with local customers, preserving jobs and ensuring compliance with fiscal and regulatory obligations in the on‑site market. The company also stressed the importance of first‑hand knowledge of the markets in which it operates, which is why the CEO has made periodic visits.

Implications for operators and the local economy

For operators managing retail networks in small markets such as Melilla or Ceuta, the RETABET case offers an example of integrating a family business into a larger structure while maintaining staff and operational activity. The group attributes a direct local economic impact from these operations through employment and tax collection.

The company did not provide additional figures on turnover, investment made or the price paid for the acquisition. It also did not disclose details on changes to the commercial format of the integrated venues or on any additional expansion plan in the city.

Next steps and market monitoring

Grupo RETABET said its focus for the coming months will remain on consolidating the operation and monitoring the performance of the five venues in Melilla. Management will continue to assess the effect of border closures on commercial activity and the opportunities to maintain a stable business project in the autonomous city.

The company underlined that keeping direct contact with local teams is a recurring management practice: the October 2026 visit was the CEO’s fourth trip to Melilla since the group began operations in the city.

For related coverage of in-person markets and retail operations, this piece is contextualized within sector tracking of retail and regulation in border enclaves. See the group's coverage in the news section and the operational analyses in b2b to evaluate comparable cases.