Lottery retailers in Spain are increasingly concerned about the impact of online lottery sales on their businesses. Calling for an urgent regulation of these sales, they highlight the need to protect small businesses from what they perceive as a digital monopoly led by the State Lottery and Gambling Society (Selae). In their recent report, created by associations like Defensa Digital (Dedit) and Loteros en la Lucha (Lell), the retailers assert that the sustainability of their over 10,600 retail points is at risk without establishing formal dialogue with Selae to address these concerns.

The report outlines several pressing issues facing lottery retailers, including calls for raising the price of the traditional Christmas Lottery ticket, which has remained unchanged for over 20 years. They argue that such a price increase is necessary to keep pace with rising living costs and the fact that winning the lottery no longer assures a buyer’s ability to purchase a home in certain municipalities. These statements reflect a growing frustration within the sector and underline their urgency to find solutions before the situation worsens.

By drawing attention to the challenges posed by online sales and the need for regulation, lottery sellers aim to maintain their relevance in an increasingly digitized market. The potential establishment of a regulatory framework could not only help protect small businesses from competing against larger, digitally-oriented operators but also preserve the traditional lottery retail sector that has been a staple of the Spanish economy for decades.