Spain’s lottery retail sector has warned that its future is at risk due to the absence of clear rules governing online sales, with industry representatives calling for urgent regulatory action.
Speaking before the Senate’s Commission on Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and Agenda 2030, Jon Urkiola, president of the Dedit association, which represents more than 20% of licensed vendors, described the situation as “very complex” and said both the present and future of the sector are “in serious danger.”
The industry, which includes more than 10,600 retail points and generates over €10bn ($11.7bn) annually, argues that digitalisation has become essential for survival, particularly for small businesses and rural outlets that rely heavily on online sales to remain viable.
Urkiola highlighted two structural pressures. On one hand, profitability has been steadily eroded, with lottery prices frozen since 2002 and commissions largely unchanged despite a 60% increase in operating costs. On the other, online sales, now representing around €1.5bn annually and up to 30% of revenue for some retailers, remain insufficiently regulated.
According to the sector, this legal uncertainty is limiting investment and long-term planning, while also creating tension around the role of SELAE, the State Lottery and Betting Society, which has recently awarded a €700,000 one-year contract to Padre World Group.
Urkiola criticised proposals that would centralise online sales through SELAE’s own platform, arguing that such a model would increase dependency rather than ensure fair competition.
He also raised concerns over recent practices in which online sales are not assigned to physical retail points, potentially depriving operators of commissions and disrupting the traditional distribution model.
“The sector is not asking for privileges, it is asking for clear rules,” Urkiola said.
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