Spain requires payment ownership checks for online gambling from 28 October 2026
Operators must verify payment holders or close accounts by 28 April 2027
Key Takeaways
- Payment ownership checks for payment methods are mandatory from 28 October 2026.
- Existing customers have until 28 April 2027 to complete verification or their accounts must be closed and notified to the DGOJ.
- Royal Decree 813/2026, published on 8 October 2026, amends eleven royal decrees in the financial sector.
- Operators must return remaining balances, including retained winnings, subject to anti‑money‑laundering and counter‑terrorist financing obligations.
- A national deposit‑limits system expected in March 2027 would set a €700 daily cap per operator.
Licensed online gambling platforms in Spain must verify the ownership of payment methods before allowing withdrawals of winnings from 28 October 2026. Existing customers have until 28 April 2027 to complete the checks or face account closure; operators must notify the closure to the Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego. [Licensed platforms](/casino) may continue to accept deposits during the transition but cannot permit withdrawals without verification.
What the rule requires and how the transition works
The requirement is part of Royal Decree 813/2026, published by the Spanish Ministry of Economy, Trade and Business on 8 October 2026; the decree amends eleven royal decrees in the financial sector, including rules on identity verification for anti‑money laundering and counter‑terrorist financing. The measure requires that the holder of the gambling account match the holder of the payment method used for deposits and withdrawals.
New customers must comply from the moment of registration. Existing customers may continue to play and deposit with previously registered methods during the transition period, but they will not be able to withdraw winnings until they prove ownership of the payment method.
Operational obligations and handling of account balances
Operators must close accounts that are not verified by 28 April 2027 and submit that information to the Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ). The closure does not automatically forfeit funds: operators must return the remaining balance, including retained winnings, subject to applicable anti‑money‑laundering and counter‑terrorist financing obligations. The decree also gives operators six months to adapt their technical systems. [Regulatory notifications](/regulation) to the DGOJ are mandatory under the text.
Sector queries and practical scope
Industry association Jdigital has requested an interpretative guidance to clarify implementation and provide legal certainty. Verifying ownership requires more than documentary identity checks: it obliges determination of the effective owner of cards, bank accounts and electronic wallets used to transfer funds to gambling accounts. A customer using a spouse’s or relative’s card will need a payment method in their own name. The review of existing accounts could increase customer service requests, particularly when a user attempts to cash out a win and encounters the restriction. The verification process also affects how operators handle [payment instruments](/payments).
Additional deadline and other regulatory timings
The 28 April 2027 deadline comes close to another scheduled obligation: the expected introduction in March 2027 of a national deposit‑limits system, which would set a daily cap of €700 per operator rather than treating each account separately. Operators therefore face a clustered regulatory calendar. By Miguel Sandoval, Corresponsal de regulación.
Frequently Asked Questions
Since when are payment ownership checks mandatory in Spain?
Checks are mandatory from 28 October 2026. This obligation is part of Royal Decree 813/2026, published by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Business on 8 October 2026.
What is the deadline for existing customers to complete verification?
Existing customers have until 28 April 2027 to complete verification. If they do not, operators must close their accounts and notify that closure to the Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego.
What must operators do with balances from accounts closed for lack of verification?
Operators must return the remaining balance, including retained winnings, subject to anti‑money‑laundering and counter‑terrorist financing obligations. The Royal Decree also grants operators six months to adapt their technical systems.
Who has requested clarification on implementation of the new checks?
Industry association Jdigital has requested interpretative guidance to clarify implementation and provide legal certainty. Jdigital seeks practical instructions because verification requires proving ownership of cards, bank accounts and electronic wallets as well as identity.
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About the author
Miguel Sandoval
Regulatory Affairs Correspondent
Miguel Sandoval tracks gambling legislation, licensing, and regulator enforcement — from Spain's DGOJ and the Latin American authorities to the UKGC, the MGA, and the state-by-state map in North America. The reports answer three questions precisely — what changed, where, and who it affects — with jurisdictions, dates, and penalties cited exactly as published. Operators and compliance officers read Miguel Sandoval to know which rulebook moved before their next meeting.
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