Tiago Bianchi
Research expert covering internet & gaming in Latin America and Spain
Video gaming in Spain - Statistics & Facts
Spain charges into the European gaming arena like a raging bull, generating over 1.43 billion U.S. dollars in annual revenue and making its mark as the sixth-biggest gaming market in Europe. With an audience of approximately 15.5 million users, the country boasts one of the highest gaming penetration rates among European markets. Much of Spain’s gaming power comes from its robust gaming industry, which generated over 1.3 billion euros in annual revenue. Powered by profitable retail and its robust production sector, the local mobile gaming and eSports segments manage to thrive, reinforcing Spain’s position among the region’s most strategic gaming markets.
Aside of mobile gaming’s dominance, online sales confirm that the compass of Spanish gamers is pointed towards the digital. Despite the good performance of other platforms and a relative balance between physical and online profits, downloads and software purchases made the most of the gaming sales in Spain, accounting for over 56 percent of the country’s total sold gaming goods. In fact, a fourth of Spanish respondents claimed to buy game downloads, while another 16 percent performed in-game purchases.
Spain’s strong gaming commerce and industry also allowed its local eSports scene to thrive. Despite a decrease in the number of local professional players in the last two years, the sector generated over 118.27 million U.S. dollars of revenue in 2023, and another 3 million euros in annual eSports advertising revenues. Overall, the success of Spanish gaming efforts is further evidence that despite not having the largest or most engaged market among its peers, a solid landscape and consistent casual consumption make it worth to consider Spain’s position in the European gaming landscape.
Casual, mobile, and digital-oriented
Gaming is a popular leisure and relaxing activity for many Spanish players, and mobile gaming comes as a perfect fit for locals. On average, Spanish gamers spend about 7.7 hours per week playing video games on all platforms, slightly less when compared to players from other European markets. Additionally, smartphones are the most popular gaming device in the country, with around 32 percent of Spanish gaming audiences playing on their phones. Due to the country’s high gaming penetration, the preference for mobile devices amassed over 11 million users for this category in the country, most of whom played downloaded games or apps.Aside of mobile gaming’s dominance, online sales confirm that the compass of Spanish gamers is pointed towards the digital. Despite the good performance of other platforms and a relative balance between physical and online profits, downloads and software purchases made the most of the gaming sales in Spain, accounting for over 56 percent of the country’s total sold gaming goods. In fact, a fourth of Spanish respondents claimed to buy game downloads, while another 16 percent performed in-game purchases.
Spain’s own Strength and resilience
Partly behind Spain’s successful gaming market is the country’s solid national gaming industry, which generated over 1.38 billion euros in annual revenues in 2022. In the same year, employment in the Spanish gaming industry grew over 4.8 percent, with 790 active studios employing over 9,261 people. Additionally, half of Spain’s gaming studios are in Spain’s biggest population centers, with most of these enterprises devoted to the development of intellectual property (IP) and auto-publishing as their main activities.Spain’s strong gaming commerce and industry also allowed its local eSports scene to thrive. Despite a decrease in the number of local professional players in the last two years, the sector generated over 118.27 million U.S. dollars of revenue in 2023, and another 3 million euros in annual eSports advertising revenues. Overall, the success of Spanish gaming efforts is further evidence that despite not having the largest or most engaged market among its peers, a solid landscape and consistent casual consumption make it worth to consider Spain’s position in the European gaming landscape.
