In-person betting in Spain could reach up to 1.6 million, says 2026 report

The Game and Society in Spain (XVII) 2026 report estimates that in-person betting mobilises between 1.4 and 1.6 million people in Spain, a figure based on a range of 4% to 4.5% of the population aged 18 to 75. The document adds that, despite a drop in the share of survey respondents who admit to betting, actual participation could remain at levels similar to previous years.

Estimates and the possible "spiral of silence"

The report notes that the percentage of respondents who say they have placed in-person bets fell from 4% —about 1.4 million people— in the 2018–2022 period to 2.3%, equivalent to roughly 800,000 people in later years. The study attributes the gap between the survey and the activity-based estimate to the possible influence of the "spiral of silence", meaning some people may avoid publicly acknowledging that they bet for fear of social stigma or negative judgment.

On that basis, the report places the estimate of in-person bettors between 4% and 4.5% of the population aged 18 to 75, representing between 1.4 and 1.6 million. The document specifies that this figure is a study estimate and not a direct user count. The Game and Society in Spain (XVII) 2026 report contains the methodological details and can be consulted as a full [report](/news).

Sociodemographic profile of in-person bettors

The analysis, based on the average of the last three years, shows a clear male majority: 88.6% versus 11.4% female. Age is concentrated in younger cohorts: 72.6% are between 18 and 35 years, of whom 40.3% fall in the 18–24 years band and 32.3% in 25–34 years.

By social status, the middle-middle level dominates with 45.3%, followed by middle-low at 22.8% and low at 17.1%. By nationality, 88% are Spanish and 12% are foreign residents.

Declared frequency of play

Table 14 of the report shows variations in declared frequency. In 2025, 24% of those who admit to in-person betting say they do so every week, compared with 6% recorded in 2024. Despite that increase in declared weekly frequency, occasional betting remains predominant: 62.3% of respondents who report this activity say they do so once a year.

The report concludes there are two coexisting observations: a reduction in the percentage of the population that acknowledges betting in surveys and an increase in weekly frequency among those who admit to it, underlining the need to distinguish between self-reported data and activity-based estimates.