Spanish Betting Sites

Spain legalized online betting in 2011 and is now home to many of the world's largest names in online gaming. In fact, Spain ranks above even the UK in terms of total betting revenue and market size. Spain serves as an example of how a well-regulated, licensed and legal market can generate significant tax revenue while also protecting the integrity of betting for its citizens.

The rise of online betting in Spain has caused significant changes in Spanish gambling law. However it's good news for players who can legally use a range of different online betting sites legally. Check out the best online bookmakers accepting Spanish players and all the key info laws and legislation's concerning the country below. Spain casinos and gambling guide contains information such as: A Spain casino list, poker tournament listing, slots info, pari-mutuel (greyhounds & horses), Texas Hold'em, and more. The largest online sportsbook in Mexico is on the Caliente Casino website which runs over 50 betting shops across Mexico and accepts bets online and by telephone. Caliente's interface is in Spanish.

It was not an easy road to get to where Spain is today. The country has a long history of tight regulation over all forms of gambling. It took until 1977 for Spain to legalize real money games of skill. In 1981, slots and other forms of chance-based gambling were legalized in the real world. Finally, in 2011, online gambling was officially legalized and regulated.

Best Spanish Betting Sites

Legalization and Regulation in Spain

Spanish authorities had little say on the matter up until 2011. Prior to that point, Spanish betting sites operated in the open with little fear of legal repercussion. With the central government having no official stance, the fate of online gambling was left up to various local gaming laws.

During that time, dozens of international gaming sites welcomed Spanish customers and the market flourished despite a lack of formal regulation. A lack of regulation and no legal precedent left the market wide open to foreign operators. Some of the big UK-headquartered brands did very well in Spain during that time.

The Spanish government took notice during the early 2000s. By that time, it was no big secret that huge sums of money were being wagered online, with all that money going to foreign operators. Nothing changed immediately, but the discussion definitely hit the national stage during those early years.

2008 Gambling Bill: 2008 was a turning point for Spanish sports betting and the market as a whole. A law passed that year divided the country into 17 regions that could each issue licenses to brick-and-mortar bookmakers. Foreign bookmakers such as William Hill, Ladbrokes and Bwin quickly partnered with domestic brands to open the country's first legal sports betting shops.

2011 Online Gambling Regulation: Bowing to pressure from the European Commission, Spain began to draft legislation in 2009 that would allow foreign operators to offer their services to Spanish citizens along with local operators.

Law 13/2011 on Gambling (PDF link here) was enacted and foreign operators were given a limited number of licenses to operate. By 2012, dozens of foreign gambling sites were operating in Spain alongside local brands.

Spain taxes all online gambling revenues at the rate of 25 percent. This rate is amongst the highest in the world. Many have criticized this move by the Spanish government, stating that such a high tax rate stifles growth of the industry and leads to decreased revenues for both the state and gambling operators. Furthermore, the extra taxes taken force companies to scale back bonus offers, increase rake, or offer less attractive odds.

Licensed Spanish betting sites must operate on a .es domain and adhere to strict advertising standards. You can tell a site is licensed if it ends on a .es domain. If you visit a brand's traditional .com website from within Spain, you should be redirected to the .es version. You can also run a search here to determine whether or not any particular betting website is properly licensed.

Online Sports Betting in Spain

Most forms of online sports betting are legal in Spain under the 2011 law. This includes straight sports betting, betting exchanges and parimutuel sports betting. Live, in-play betting remained a legal grey area at first, but most brands now offer live betting (found under the 'apuestas en directo' tab on most online bookmakers' websites).

Big bookmakers provide thousands of markets spread across hundreds of events and dozens of sports every day. The variety is as great in the Spanish market as it is anywhere else. For this reason, Spanish gamblers have little incentive to visit unlicensed offshore betting sites.

Signing up for an account is a fairly straightforward process of hitting the 'join now' button and submitting your personal information. Spanish betting sites are required by the law to verify your identity, so don't be surprised if they ask for a copy of your DNI number and possibly even a scanned copy of your card.

Casino Games

Real money casino games are also legal in Spain. Gaming laws were relaxed over a period of years and licensed operators are now free to host all the most popular types of casino games that you would find anywhere else in the world. Online slots, card games and specialty games such as craps and roulette are all legal.

Casino sites require unique licenses, although most of the big names in online gambling own licenses for all forms of gambling. Thus, all the big Spanish betting sites recommended above provide sports betting, casino games and poker all in one location.

Online Poker

Online poker enjoys legal status in Spain with most of the recognizable big names in poker licensed to operate. The law is lenient in which games may be offered for real money. Tournaments, cash games and SNGs are all available at a wide range of stakes.

Online poker suffered in Spain during the first handful of years due to two major policy decisions. One is the ring-fencing policy included in the 2011 legislation. Under this policy, Spanish poker players remained segregated from the rest of the world. If you played online from Spain, you were only seated with other players from Spain. This virtual isolation hurt liquidity and made it difficult for the poker market to grow.

High taxes on operators also make it difficult for Spanish poker sites to invest money in growth and player-targeted promotions. Just last year, some the Spanish poker community attempted to send a message to the industry by staging a one-day protect in which players refused to play online poker for a day. Operators received the message loud and clear, but the Spanish government seems reluctant to change its stance on either issue.

The problem of taxes will likely be addressed sooner or later. Although it's a bit dated now, a 2014 report found that 43% of Spanish poker players admitted to playing at illegal, unlicensed poker sites. Even more concerning, nearly 13% reported that they never play on licensed poker sites in Spain.

The issue of poker liquidity was finally addressed in 2017 after Spain signed an online poker liquidity agreement with three other European nations (France, Spain and Portugal). That deal allows licensed poker sites to combine player pools among all four nations in order to increase player liquidity, resulting in more active cash games and larger tournaments.

Deposits and Withdrawals

Legalization of online gambling has made it significantly easier to fund our betting accounts in Spain. All the same payment methods that you would use to buy anything else online may also be used to place wagers over the internet. Credit cards, debit cards and e-wallets such as Skrill and Neteller are all available. Some betting sites also accept TeleIngresso deposits for real-world transactions at thousands of ATMs, post offices and retail outlets across the country.

Withdrawals, for the most part, are processed to the same method a used to deposit. Rarely do we have to wait more than a couple business days to have our money in hand. Most betting sites take 24-48 to process withdrawals while instant withdrawals are becoming increasingly common.

Introduction

Spanish 21 is a variation of blackjack, that in some cases is the best bet in the casino. In locations where the dealer stands on a soft 17, or redoubling is allowed, Spanish 21 may be a better bet than blackjack, depending on the specific blackjack rules. If you are looking for a change of pace from traditional blackjack but insist on a game with a low house edge, then you may find new excitement in Spanish 21.

In Australia and Malaysia, Spanish 21 is called Pontoon. There are some rule changes in Australia, which merit a separate page. For all the details please visit my page on Australian Pontoon. To make matters more confusing, there is another similar game, but different enough to warrant a separate page, called Player's Edge 21.

Following is a list of known aliases of the game:

• Betsoft, a major provider of software for Internet casinos, offers Spanish 21 under the name Pirate 21.
• The Casino Bregenz in Austria changes the name to Blackjack Exchange.

The Rules

Spanish 21 uses six or eight Spanish decks, each deck consisting of 48 cards — the regular 52 cards less the four tens. Any card counter can tell you that removing any 10-point card from the cards moves the odds in favor of the dealer. To make up for this, Spanish 21 gives the player a host of bonuses and favorable rules. There are lots of Spanish 21 games all over the country, so rules will vary somewhat from place to place, but the usual rules in the player's favor are:

1. Late surrender allowed.
2. Double after split allowed.
3. Re-splitting aces allowed.
4. A player 21 always wins.
5. Player blackjack beats dealer blackjack.
6. Player may double on any number of cards.
7. Player may usually hit and double down after splitting aces.
8. Player may surrender after doubling, known as 'double down rescue.' The player forfeits an amount equal to his original bet.
9. A five-card 21 pays 3 to 2, a six-card 21 pays 2 to 1, a seven or more card 21 pays 3 to 1. Bonus not honored after doubling.
10. A 6-7-8 or 7-7-7 of mixed suits pays 3 to 2, of the same suit pays 2 to 1, and of spades pays 3 to 1. These bonuses do not pay after doubling.
11. Suited 7-7-7 when the dealer has a seven face up pays $1000 for bets of $5-$24 and $5000 'Super Bonus' for bets of $25 or over. In addition, all other players receive a $50 'envy bonus.' This bonus does not pay after doubling or splitting.

Variable Rules

1. Dealer may hit or stand on a soft 17.
2. 6 or 8 Spanish decks can be used.
3. Some casinos allow redoubling, up to three times.
4. I have heard of some casinos not allowing surrender or drawing to split aces, but it isn't the norm.
5. A face card and ace after splitting has been known to count as a blackjack, at at least one casino.
6. There has been a lot of debate through the years whether the bonuses are payable after a split. First, there is almost no argument that they do not pay after doubling. However, the way the game was designed, all bonuses except the Super Bonus are supposed to be payable after splitting. However, most casinos do not pay the bonuses after a split. The effect of not allowing the bonuses after splitting is very small, around 0.01%.

Strategy

Online Sports Betting in Spain

Most forms of online sports betting are legal in Spain under the 2011 law. This includes straight sports betting, betting exchanges and parimutuel sports betting. Live, in-play betting remained a legal grey area at first, but most brands now offer live betting (found under the 'apuestas en directo' tab on most online bookmakers' websites).

Big bookmakers provide thousands of markets spread across hundreds of events and dozens of sports every day. The variety is as great in the Spanish market as it is anywhere else. For this reason, Spanish gamblers have little incentive to visit unlicensed offshore betting sites.

Signing up for an account is a fairly straightforward process of hitting the 'join now' button and submitting your personal information. Spanish betting sites are required by the law to verify your identity, so don't be surprised if they ask for a copy of your DNI number and possibly even a scanned copy of your card.

Casino Games

Real money casino games are also legal in Spain. Gaming laws were relaxed over a period of years and licensed operators are now free to host all the most popular types of casino games that you would find anywhere else in the world. Online slots, card games and specialty games such as craps and roulette are all legal.

Casino sites require unique licenses, although most of the big names in online gambling own licenses for all forms of gambling. Thus, all the big Spanish betting sites recommended above provide sports betting, casino games and poker all in one location.

Online Poker

Online poker enjoys legal status in Spain with most of the recognizable big names in poker licensed to operate. The law is lenient in which games may be offered for real money. Tournaments, cash games and SNGs are all available at a wide range of stakes.

Online poker suffered in Spain during the first handful of years due to two major policy decisions. One is the ring-fencing policy included in the 2011 legislation. Under this policy, Spanish poker players remained segregated from the rest of the world. If you played online from Spain, you were only seated with other players from Spain. This virtual isolation hurt liquidity and made it difficult for the poker market to grow.

High taxes on operators also make it difficult for Spanish poker sites to invest money in growth and player-targeted promotions. Just last year, some the Spanish poker community attempted to send a message to the industry by staging a one-day protect in which players refused to play online poker for a day. Operators received the message loud and clear, but the Spanish government seems reluctant to change its stance on either issue.

The problem of taxes will likely be addressed sooner or later. Although it's a bit dated now, a 2014 report found that 43% of Spanish poker players admitted to playing at illegal, unlicensed poker sites. Even more concerning, nearly 13% reported that they never play on licensed poker sites in Spain.

The issue of poker liquidity was finally addressed in 2017 after Spain signed an online poker liquidity agreement with three other European nations (France, Spain and Portugal). That deal allows licensed poker sites to combine player pools among all four nations in order to increase player liquidity, resulting in more active cash games and larger tournaments.

Deposits and Withdrawals

Legalization of online gambling has made it significantly easier to fund our betting accounts in Spain. All the same payment methods that you would use to buy anything else online may also be used to place wagers over the internet. Credit cards, debit cards and e-wallets such as Skrill and Neteller are all available. Some betting sites also accept TeleIngresso deposits for real-world transactions at thousands of ATMs, post offices and retail outlets across the country.

Withdrawals, for the most part, are processed to the same method a used to deposit. Rarely do we have to wait more than a couple business days to have our money in hand. Most betting sites take 24-48 to process withdrawals while instant withdrawals are becoming increasingly common.

Introduction

Spanish 21 is a variation of blackjack, that in some cases is the best bet in the casino. In locations where the dealer stands on a soft 17, or redoubling is allowed, Spanish 21 may be a better bet than blackjack, depending on the specific blackjack rules. If you are looking for a change of pace from traditional blackjack but insist on a game with a low house edge, then you may find new excitement in Spanish 21.

In Australia and Malaysia, Spanish 21 is called Pontoon. There are some rule changes in Australia, which merit a separate page. For all the details please visit my page on Australian Pontoon. To make matters more confusing, there is another similar game, but different enough to warrant a separate page, called Player's Edge 21.

Following is a list of known aliases of the game:

• Betsoft, a major provider of software for Internet casinos, offers Spanish 21 under the name Pirate 21.
• The Casino Bregenz in Austria changes the name to Blackjack Exchange.

The Rules

Spanish 21 uses six or eight Spanish decks, each deck consisting of 48 cards — the regular 52 cards less the four tens. Any card counter can tell you that removing any 10-point card from the cards moves the odds in favor of the dealer. To make up for this, Spanish 21 gives the player a host of bonuses and favorable rules. There are lots of Spanish 21 games all over the country, so rules will vary somewhat from place to place, but the usual rules in the player's favor are:

1. Late surrender allowed.
2. Double after split allowed.
3. Re-splitting aces allowed.
4. A player 21 always wins.
5. Player blackjack beats dealer blackjack.
6. Player may double on any number of cards.
7. Player may usually hit and double down after splitting aces.
8. Player may surrender after doubling, known as 'double down rescue.' The player forfeits an amount equal to his original bet.
9. A five-card 21 pays 3 to 2, a six-card 21 pays 2 to 1, a seven or more card 21 pays 3 to 1. Bonus not honored after doubling.
10. A 6-7-8 or 7-7-7 of mixed suits pays 3 to 2, of the same suit pays 2 to 1, and of spades pays 3 to 1. These bonuses do not pay after doubling.
11. Suited 7-7-7 when the dealer has a seven face up pays $1000 for bets of $5-$24 and $5000 'Super Bonus' for bets of $25 or over. In addition, all other players receive a $50 'envy bonus.' This bonus does not pay after doubling or splitting.

Variable Rules

1. Dealer may hit or stand on a soft 17.
2. 6 or 8 Spanish decks can be used.
3. Some casinos allow redoubling, up to three times.
4. I have heard of some casinos not allowing surrender or drawing to split aces, but it isn't the norm.
5. A face card and ace after splitting has been known to count as a blackjack, at at least one casino.
6. There has been a lot of debate through the years whether the bonuses are payable after a split. First, there is almost no argument that they do not pay after doubling. However, the way the game was designed, all bonuses except the Super Bonus are supposed to be payable after splitting. However, most casinos do not pay the bonuses after a split. The effect of not allowing the bonuses after splitting is very small, around 0.01%.

Strategy

Spanish Betting Sites

Following is my Spanish 21 basic strategy when the dealer hits a soft 17.

Next is the Spanish 21 basic strategy when the dealer stands on a soft 17.

Spanish Betting Sites For Websites

Note: If drawing to split aces is not allowed, and the dealer stands on soft 17 (as is the case at the Mohegan Sun), then hit A,A vs A.

The next table if for when the dealer hits a soft 17, redoubling is allowed, and the player has not already doubled.

The next table if for when the dealer hits a soft 17, redoubling is allowed, and the player has already doubled, which limits his options to stand, surrender, and double again.

Many readers have expressed doubt about my advice to hit 17 against an ace with 3 or more cards. However, I stand by what I said. The player will save about 2.8% of the initial wager by hitting as opposed to standing. The dealers will advise against this play and the other players may curse the day you were born, but trust me, the odds favor hitting.

• Dealer stands on soft 17: 0.40%
• Dealer hits on soft 17, redoubling allowed: 0.42%
• Dealer hits on soft 17, redoubling not allowed: 0.76%

Super Bonus

The probability of hitting the Super Bonus is 1 in 668,382, with six decks, and 1 in 549,188 with eight decks. The reduction in the house edge depends on the bet amount, and to a lesser extent, the number of players. With no other players, and bets of exactly $5 or $25, the Super Bonus lowers the house edge by 0.030% in a six-deck game, and 0.036% in an eight-deck game. At a bet of exactly $5, the Envy Bonus lowers the house edge by an additional 0.0015% in a six-deck game, and 0.0018% in an eight-deck game, per additional player.

Betting Sites Usa

For bet amounts other than those indicated above, the benefit of the Super Bonus will go down as the bet amount goes up.

No Draw to Split Aces: At the Mohegan Sun drawing to split aces is NOT allowed. The effect of this rule is to increase the house edge by 0.29%.

Ace and 10 after splitting aces pays 3 to 2: I have an unconfirmed report that at at one time the Meskaki casino in central Iowa paid 3 to 2 on an ace and 10 after splitting aces. I have another unconfirmed report that as of Aug. 2010 they removed the Spanish 21 table completely. According to my calculations this lowers the house edge by 0.16%. Otherwise they hit a soft 17 and no redoubling, for an overall house edge of 0.60%.

Doubling only allowed on first two cards: I had a false report that a casino in Malaysia didn't allow doubling on any number of cards. If such a rule did exist, it would increase the house edge by 0.16%.

Match the Dealer

Match the Dealer is a side bet found in both blackjack and Spanish 21. The player wins for each of his initial two cards that match the dealer's up card. Matches in rank only pay less than a match in rank and suit. The following tables show the various pay tables that I am aware of for Spanish 21.

Match the Dealer — Six Decks

Match the Dealer — Eight Decks

C4

Football Betting Sites

The Casino Bregenz in Austria offers Spanish 21 but calls it Blackjack Exchange. They tack on a side bet called the C4, which is analyzed below. The table is based on six decks and assumes that if the player qualifies for more than one win, he only gets the higher win. The lower right cell shows a house edge of 14.48%.

C4 — Six Decks

Following is the house edge of the C4 for other numbers of decks.

• Four decks: 18.49%
• Eight decks: 12.41%

Methodology

Acknowledgments

I would like to give a huge thanks to Katarina Walker for correcting some minor strategy errors in this page. She is the author of The Pro's Guide to Spanish 21 and Australian Pontoon.

Links

German translation of this page.