## Spanish Gaming Promotion Expenditures Skyrocketed in 2019 – Marketing & Associates – iGB
Despite a general decrease in nationwide marketing investments, Spanish gaming promotional expenditures witnessed a substantial rise in 2019.
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Spanish gaming promotional spending expanded by 10.6% in 2019, reaching 145.6 million euros, according to the sixth edition of the “Spanish Advertising Observatory 2020” published by the Spanish Advertisers Association (AEA). Overall promotional spending in Spain declined by 0.5% year-on-year to 13.14 billion euros.
Gambling and gaming were the 11th highest spending sector in Spain in 2019. The only sector that saw a larger increase in advertising spending was industry, materials, and agriculture, which grew by 29.3%. The automotive sector topped the list with 564.1 million euros in spending.
The state-owned lottery operator ONCE was the 11th highest spending company in the year, investing 49 million euros, about a third of the industry total. This placed it ahead of tech giant Samsung and automotive giants like Seat and Renault, but behind the top-spending Volkswagen (84.5 million euros).
In terms of advertising impact, gambling ranked only 15th with a score of 4.9, based on “the number of people who recall seeing or hearing an advertisement for a brand.” The best performing sector was food and hotels, with a score of 104.
The car industry came in second, capturing a 53.8% share.
Digital media outpaced television for the first time in 2019, now representing 38.6% of advertising expenditures, while television accounts for 33.7%. Both branded content and social media platforms witnessed double-digit growth, but the most significant increase was influencer marketing, which expanded by 67% to €61.8 million.
The listing also serves as a cautionary tale for gambling operators and media entities that rely on their funding. The most substantial decline in spending originated from the tobacco sector, which is subject to increasingly strict regulations, decreasing by 24.5% year-over-year.
The new Royal Decree on gambling advertising, anticipated to take effect this month, will prohibit gambling operators from sponsoring sporting events and offering incentives. The regulation also distinguishes between private operators and state-owned enterprises ONCE and SELAE.
In April, new limitations will restrict the permitted times for gambling advertising on radio and television to between 1:00 AM and 5:00 AM. While these measures were initially implemented during the nation’s novel coronavirus (Covid-19) lockdown, they have also been integrated into the decree.
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