Catalunya leads in number of slot machines despite a reduction over the last decade

Although the figure remains the highest in the country, the number of gaming machines has fallen over the last ten years: 4,707 terminals have been removed since 2014. However, the past year saw a slight upturn, with 294 more units recorded.

While the headline figure puts Catalonia in first place, the picture changes when adjusted for population. With 4.19 slot machines per 1,000 inhabitants, it ranks ninth. Regions such as Asturias (5.49), the Basque Country (4.66) and the Valencian Community (4.53) exceed Catalonia, although it remains above territories such as the Balearic Islands, Andalusia and Madrid.

In total, there are 15,502 Catalan establishments with this type of machine. In the city of Barcelona, 2,883 premises are concentrated, with a ratio of 1.71 per 1,000 residents, below the Catalan average.

The map reveals striking contrasts: Granyanella, with barely 140 inhabitants, tops the ranking with six equipped bars, representing an unusual proportion of 42.9 per 1,000 residents. La Jonquera, by contrast, leads among larger municipalities, with 35 premises and 10.4 bars with slot machines per thousand residents.

Other hotspots are Castelló d’Empúries (4.9 per 1,000), Vilamalla and Llorenç del Penedès (4.1), and Sant Adrià de Besòs, which stands out in Barcelona’s metropolitan area with 138 establishments and a ratio of 3.6.