While the Spanish prepare to try their luck with the Christmas Lottery , the sector is already beginning to plan for next year. For several months, a proposal has emerged indicating that 2026 will be a different year . The prices for various lottery draws are remarkably the same as those established back in 2002. “What company maintains the same prices for its products for more than 20 years?” explained Jon Urkiola , president of the Association for the Digital Defense of Lottery Administrations (Dedit) , in an interview with EL MUNDO.
For this reason, associations comprising a total of 4,100 lottery administrations across the country, which include the National Group of Provincial Associations of Lottery Administrators (Anapal) and the Fighting Lottery Association (Lell) , are advocating for a price increase . Proposed changes entail heightening the cost of the current draws, such as raising the price of the Thursday ticket from three to five euros , while Saturday draws would see an increase from six to ten euros. The extraordinary draws— Christmas and Children’s lotteries, which traditionally attract massive participants—would increase from 20 to 25 euros. Therefore, only special draws like Valentine’s Day would remain priced at 15 euros.
Industry experts highlight that while the lottery ticket price has stayed stagnant for over two decades, accumulated inflation has reached 64% . This persistent price freeze has led many lottery administrations into a critical financial landscape .
Anapal emphasizes that this situation of non-adjustment hasn’t occurred in over 75 years , during which ticket prices used to increase regularly by 500 pesetas (three euros) approximately every decade. Accordingly, after nearly two decades, the ticket price should have increased by ten euros , meaning the current cost should realistically stand at 30 euros — ten euros more than its existing price .
“We have been without any modification for over 20 years, despite the dramatic enhancement in the cost of living and operational expenses,” representatives from Anapal stated. They launched a petition for price adjustments earlier this year.
REQUEST FOR COMMISSION INCREASE
Along similar lines, the three associations are urging an increase in the commissions that lottery administrations earn during the Christmas draw from 4.5% to 6% , aligning it with the commission rates of other draws throughout the year. “The commissions for this particular draw have virtually remained unchanged, creating a disparity when compared with commissions from the rest of the games,” Anapal contended.
The State Lottery and State Betting Society (Selae) is accountable for proposing these alterations, but they must be formally sanctioned through a ministerial order . According to the guidelines regulating games in Spain, modifications to ticket prices or prize amounts require government approval to ensure public oversight and maintain regulatory clarity. However, Urkiola noted that they have approached Selae numerous times regarding profitability concerns without any fruitful response or dialogue opportunities.
Urkiola has pointed out that achieving necessary profitability is not solely about adjusting prices and commissions; it must also consider the digital transformation in the sector and the rise of online sales , which now represent over 30% of revenue for many administrations. This particular point has roused their concern as they argue that Selae is attempting to monopolize online sales through their platform, where they only receive a mere 4% commission , jeopardizing the viability of smaller organizations, especially in rural areas.
Furthermore, accusations are emerging directed toward the state entity regarding expanding profits at the expense of small lottery administrations, which are already grappling with profitability issues. The previous fiscal year saw Selae clock in a net profit of 2,437 million euros , marking an 11.3% rise compared to the 2,188.7 million from the preceding year, coupled with a 4.4% increase in turnover, reaching 10,396 million euros . This rising trend has been evident since 2021, after the pandemic. Nevertheless, those benefits haven’t translated to the administrations themselves, raising alarm about numerous complaints arising in the lottery sector.
Urkiola narrates the multiple attempts made to foster a dialogue with Selae, all of which ended in refusal. Consequently, Dedit and Lell launched a Table for the Profitability and Digitalization of the Lottery Online to advocate for “reasonable economic conditions” for lottery administrations, with plans to present their findings in Congress, an initiative endorsed by the Popular Party (PP) .