Spain requires gambling operators to match player accounts to payment method owners

Spain's Ministry of Consumption has introduced new rules aimed at curbing identity theft in the gambling sector. The measure, set out in Real Decreto 813/2026, requires licensed operators to make sure that the person registered for a gaming profile is also the owner of the payment method linked to it.

The move follows a 12% increase in complaints about fraudulent identities in 2025, which brought the total to 8,675. The country's gambling regulator, the Directorate General for Gambling Regulation (DGOJ), had noted that impersonators often relied on payment methods that are hard to check in real time. It also warned that identity theft is increasingly tied to organised crime and money laundering.

New accounts must satisfy the payment ownership check as soon as they are created. Operators have a six-month transition period for accounts that already exist. During that time, registered players can still deposit and play, but they cannot withdraw winnings until ownership of their payment method has been verified.

If an operator cannot confirm a match after six months, it must close the account and inform the DGOJ. Account balances and unpaid prizes must then be returned to the player, subject to anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing rules.

The measure forms part of a wider overhaul of compliance and governance that the DGOJ has been pursuing. The regulator is due to put its central deposit system into operation by 25 March 2027 as part of efforts to protect Spanish players. The source notes that an expected channelisation rate of 78% may concern regulated operators such as CIRSA and Codere.

Political uncertainty could affect the longer-term outlook. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has called a snap election, due at the end of next month, and it is unclear how much priority a new government would give to gambling policy. For now, the DGOJ is continuing with its plans.