A nation of gamblers? – Spanish lotteries, bingo, casinos & their history



Did you know that Spain´s Lottery is the second oldest in world? Did you know that Spaniards bet a whopping 1.9 billion euros each year? And did you know that one of the most popular lotteries in Spain was set-up by General Franco to help people who had been blinded during the Civil War?

Join me in this episode as I put gambling in Spain under the microscope. Yes, betting is big business and there LOTS of way to gamble in Spain. I´ll be looking at the numerous Lotteries, Bingo culture and of course Casinos and exploring the surprising history behind the evolution of gambling in Spanish society during the Franco regime and beyond.

I try to make sense of all the different lotteries as I head out into my neighbourhood in Madrid to buy my first ever lottery ticket. I chat to the seller for ONCE La Organización Nacional de Ciegos Españoles (The National Organization for Spanish Blind People) who explains all the lottery ticket options available – and yes it was confusing!

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