Now The Spanish Gambling Act has helped clear up many of the grey areas surrounding online betting in Spain, you should have a better understanding of the betting sites operating legally, and those who are not.

It’s important to remember that any online sportsbook you use must have a .es domain and be licensed by the regulatory body Juego Seguro in order to comply with the law in place.

Lookout for a logo displaying the name, Juego Seguro which should be clearly visible at the bottom of the website you intend to use.

In truth though, you needn’t be too concerned with checking these points out since a large percentage of the biggest and most reputable betting companies operating in Spain would see it as their duty to adhere to the rule set out by the country they’re operating in.

With this in mind, let’s delve into Spanish Market a bit further - which sports betting sites are best, what are the best qualities of a betting site and where can you find the best bonus offers? We try to give you all the answers. However, if you speak Spanish, you might want to take advantage of the more detailed information on Miscasasdeapuestas.com, a site that offers a great service for comparing betting sites in the Spanish language.

There are a plethora of bookmakers in Spain to choose from. Here follow our top 8.

1. LeoVegas - Superior on mobile
2. Bet365 - World class live betting
3. Betway - Great bet builder
4. Betfair - Top odds on football
5. Betsson - High class mobile app
6. Luckia - Spanish bookie with a lot of markets available
7. Casino Gran Madrid - Beloved Spanish brand
8. Bwin - Austrian bookmaker with good reputation

Finding the best online betting sites in Spain is a lot easier than in other countries with many of the biggest and best names in the industry having been established in the country for a few years.

But there are still points to consider, right? I mean who does what best, who offers this but doesn’t offer that?

• License
• Payment methods
• Range of sports
• Betting offers
• Customer service

Licensed betting sites

The fundamental attribute to look for when it comes to selecting a betting site in Spain is the license. You should always look for a licensed betting site for a number of reasons:

1. Security - A licensed betting site will always be more careful when it comes to the safety of your sports betting and payments, since they are obligated to do so by law.
2. Reputable operators - It takes a lot to get a Spanish license, both in terms of quality, but also in the fee. This ensures that the operator is serious.
3. No funny business - Foreign operators can be reliable, but depending on the operator in question you can be in for some difficulties when it comes to withdrawing your winnings for example.

Payment methods

For a lot of countries this is a much bigger problem than in Spain where most of the standard payment methods work. However, it is often an important factor when it comes to the trust of a betting operator. Most Spanish players deposit with VISA/Mastercard, but a lot also want to utilise other options, such as Paypal, Neteller or Skrill. However, most options are available with most operators.

Range of sports on offer

The range of sports you’re seeking to have a punt on may be quite diverse but you should still be able to use the same sportsbook and keep things convenient. Most sportsbooks cover a wide range of sports nowadays but double check the betting site caters for all of your needs first.

Betting offers & promotions

For many, finding the betting sites with the most attractive promotions and bonuses is what it’s all about and one of the main criteria new customers look for when signing up to a new sportsbook. This is of course not wrong, but our recommendation is always that you should strive to find a bookie for the long term.

Customer service

There will always be reasons to talk to the customer support. And when those moments occur, you want to get the help you need. Fortunately, most betting sites today have a very good customer service department. But remember that this goes for the licensed betting sites.

On your search for the best online betting site in Spain, it’s important to remember that no two sites are the same. Each will offer their own unique perks that may or may not take your fancy and it’s down to you to consider what’s of most value to you - horses for courses and all that.

Consider the points already mentioned and those highlighted above when settling on one.

Once you’ve put a fair amount of research into the bookmaker that ticks all of the boxes for you, you’ll need to set up an account is a breeze and should take no longer than ten minutes to complete.

Each bookmaker may set out the opening page a bit differently, but the information needed is always the same. Remember the law allows for Spanish bettors to open accounts with international firms, so long as they hold a license from Juego Seguro (DGOJ).

Follow our simple 5-point guide to opening an online betting account in Spain:

1. Find and click the link which reads ‘Set up an account’
2. Enter your personal details into the on-screen registration form. This will include:

• Name, address, date of birth, mobile number, valid email address
• Account preference such as how the odds will be displayed (decimals/fractions)
• A username and password unique to you, as well as a security question and answer.

This may also include your identity number, found on your National ID card (Documento nacional de identidad)

1. Add details for a legitimate bank account to transfer money to and from.
2. It’s probable you’ll need to activate your account. This is achieved by accessing the mail sent to your registered email address by the betting company. Simply click on the email verification link and the account set-up should be complete.
3. Finally, you’ll need to make a deposit. Most licensed Spanish betting sites allow for deposits to be made using Mastercard or Visa, as well as e-wallets such as Paypal and Skrill.

Considering the Spanish Gambling Act legislation has only been in place for many years, it’s possible for there to be amendments made in order to make it fully resistant against unlicensed betting operators, whilst removing any grey areas from the equation.

However, the latest suggestions for legislative change has been about welcome offers and their place in the Spanish market. It has been suggested that offers should be limited to players who have had an account for at least one month and deposited at least three times. The reasoning is that it would decrease the amount of problem gamblers.

This is still to be determined at the time of writing, and could backlash in a big way, with more Spanish players looking for bonuses with insecure, foreign operators.