The craze of fantasy games, betting and prediction markets also seems to extend to the most classic modalities. After registering one of the worst years in its history in 2024 and a long journey in the beginnings of the betting housesthe sports prediction games of State Lotteries and Betting (Selae) once again show signs of recovery.
La Quiniela, Quinigol and Choose 8 increased their joint turnover to 181.8 million euros in 202511.7% more than the previous year, according to data analyzed by Intelligence 2P, the intelligence and data unit of 2Playbook.
The rebound allows us to break the negative trend of the last yearalthough it does not alter the profound structural change that this business has undergone during the last decade and a half.
Collection continues 66.6% below the 543.5 million euros that these games reached in 2009, before the liberalization of the sports betting market and the emergence of new entertainment formats linked to sports. The three sports games of chance of Loterías y Apuestas del Estado jointly invoiced a third of what La Quiniela moved in 2009.
The improvement in 2025 is mainly explained by the behavior of La Quinielawhich increased the amounts played by 10.6%, up to 166.2 million euros, consolidating itself as the product that concentrates more than 91% of the turnover of Selae’s sports games. The highest percentage growth, however, corresponded to Quinigolwhose sales increased by 33.9%, to 10.4 million euros, while Choose 8 advanced 8.8%, to 5.2 million euros.
Despite this, The weight of these products within the Lottery business continues to be reduced. Together, they represent just 1.7% of the sales of the public company, which in 2025 sold games worth 10,586 million euros, 1.8% more than the previous year. That is, heThe amounts of sports gambling improved much more than the global record of State Lotteries and Betting.
Revenue since 2009
An insufficient rebound to reverse 15 years of decline
The recovery comes after a long process of losing relevance. The fall began after the opening of the sports betting market in 2010when the entry of private online operators transformed the consumption habits of the Spanish bettor. Added to this was later the rise of Fantasy games, which offered more dynamic formats and permanent interaction with sports competitions.
The deterioration was especially intense during the first years of the last decade. The turnover went from 543.5 million in 2009 to 497.6 million in 2010 and plummeted to 390.9 million in 2011. Although between 2012 and 2013 it still managed to remain around 400 million euros, The trend accelerated again starting in 2014, when it fell below 300 million for the first time. In this period, the betting house business has grown to 10,259 million euros, and has multiplied by 5 since 2009.
Since 2016, Selae sports games have not managed to exceed 250 million euros in annual sales again. The pandemic further aggravated the situation, leaving turnover at just 149 million in 2020. Since then, the business has alternated small upturns and setbacks without managing to recover the lost ground. The growth in 2025 represents the best data since 2023, but it still remains far from the levels prior to the transformation of the gaming market.
Less income to finance Spanish sport
The evolution of La Quiniela transcends the gaming business. Its collection continues to be one of the sources of financing for Spanish sport, both for andl high performance for professional and amateur footballand even for some regional organizations.
With the entry into force of the Sports Law and its regulatory development, The resources from the tax associated with gambling are distributed among the provincial councils (49.95%), LaLiga and Liga F (45.5%) and the Royal Spanish Football Federation (Rfef) (4.55%), which must allocate these funds to the development of non-professional football.
The incorporation of Liga F two seasons ago to the distribution has meant one of the main regulatory changes in recent years, allowing professional women’s football to participate in these resources. Even so, The sharp accumulated decline in collection over the last decade has significantly reduced the capacity to generate funds. compared to the time when La Quiniela exceeded half a billion euros in annual sales.
