Spain’s Supreme Court issued a landmark ruling on May 8, 2025, in favor of the state-run Sociedad Estatal Loterías y Apuestas del Estado (SELAE), upholding its authority to manage online lottery sales and structure commissions—closing a nearly decade-long legal battle initiated by traditional lottery retailers.
The dispute, which began in 2016 through the “Juego Limpio” platform representing over 200 physical lottery outlets, challenged SELAE’s expansion into digital channels. Retailers accused the operator of centralizing profits unfairly by directing online sales through its website and authorizing “mixed points of sale” like bars and kiosks, while distributing commissions in a way they called opaque and arbitrary.
Although an initial ruling in 2019 favored the retailers, questioning SELAE’s commission model, the Supreme Court has now reversed that position. It determined that SELAE’s digital approach aligns with legitimate business objectives: enhancing technological innovation, improving consumer protections, and complying with anti-money laundering protocols.
Importantly, the Court found no evidence of economic dependency or abuse, noting that physical retailers still receive a 4% commission when selected by online players. It stated that SELAE’s business model seeks a “reasonable balance” between traditional and digital sales channels. While SELAE has remained silent following the verdict, industry associations like Dedit voiced concerns that the ruling threatens the long-term viability of local lottery shops. They warn that without a transparent and fair revenue-sharing model, smaller businesses will be left behind in Spain’s digital transition.
The verdict sends ripples beyond Spain. European and North American regulators are facing similar dilemmas: how to modernize lottery operations while safeguarding community-based vendors. For context, the UK and France report digital lottery penetration rates of 45% and 11%, respectively—far ahead of SELAE’s current 2.8%. As lottery systems across the globe enter a digital era, Spain’s May 2025 ruling could influence policy decisions from Brussels to Sacramento.
