Spanish online gambling revenue rose by 18% year-on-year for Q2 2020, despite sports betting taking a significant hit.

Figures from Spanish regulator Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ) showed gross gaming revenue (GGR) for the online market was up to €208.9m ($244.9m) for Q2, but represented a 4% quarter-on-quarter decrease.

Sports betting revenue fell 20% from the same period last year, down to €68.2m, which was 38% lower than Q1, as operators struggled with all major live sport being suspended in mid-March, until May.

Conventional sports bets decreased by 49%, while in-play betting was down 35% compared to the previous quarter.

However, casino GGR grew 36% from last year, and 23% compared to Q1 up to €93.5m as online gaming saw an increase of activity during the lockdown period. Poker GGR increased 97% compared to 2019, and 58% from Q1, to €38.2m.

Marketing spend was down 66% compared to Q1, to €40.6m, with advertising spend down 71%, while the monthly average of active gaming accounts decreased 25% year-on-year, to 632,938.

The DGOJ said Q2 activity was affected by COVID-19, and the drastic limit on online gambling marketing and advertising, which came into effect from April until June.

However, the country has since implemented a ban on gambling operators having its branding displayed on the shirts of sports teams. While audiovisual advertising can only be shown between 1am and 5am.