Spain Tightens Identity Verification and Payment Controls for iGaming
Spain.- 15 October 2026 | www.zonadeazar.com The Spanish Government has approved new regulatory measures designed to strengthen player identification and financial transaction verification across online betting and casino platforms.
The changes were introduced through Royal Decree 813/2026, published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) on 10 October, establishing that payment methods used for deposits and withdrawals must belong to the registered gambling account holder.
The legislation will enter into force on 28 October 2026, with different transitional periods applying to operators and customers.
Mandatory Payment Ownership Verification
The principal amendment requires gambling operators to confirm that financial instruments used by customers are registered in their names.
The obligation applies to both deposits and withdrawals.
Operators must verify:
- The identity of the gambling account holder.
- Ownership of the payment methods used.
- The correspondence between both identities.
- Records of verification procedures conducted during initial transactions.
The requirement applies to gambling activities conducted through digital platforms, mobile applications and other electronic channels.
Amendments to Anti-Money Laundering Legislation
Royal Decree 813/2026 amends the regulations supporting Law 10/2010 on the Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing.
The objective is to strengthen financial transaction controls across regulated gambling activities.
The amendments particularly affect Article 21 of the regulations, introducing specific requirements for verifying payment method ownership.
The Government aims to improve the traceability of financial transactions conducted through licensed gambling operators.
Six-Month Transition Period for Existing Customers
Customers with existing gambling accounts will receive a six-month transitional period to complete the required verification procedures.
During this time, they may continue using their established payment methods for deposits and participation in gambling activities.
However, they will not be permitted to withdraw winnings until payment ownership has been verified.
This represents one of the most significant changes affecting customers of online betting and casino platforms.
The provision aims to ensure that gambling funds are withdrawn only through financial instruments whose ownership has been confirmed.
Closure of Non-Compliant Accounts
Once the transitional period expires, operators will be required to take action regarding accounts that remain unverified.
In these cases, companies must unilaterally terminate their contracts with the affected customers.
Operators must also submit records of account activations and terminations to the Directorate General for Gambling Regulation (DGOJ).
The procedure includes the return of outstanding account balances.
This also covers winnings whose withdrawal was suspended during the transition period, subject to applicable anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing obligations.
Technology Adaptation for Operators
Licensed businesses will also have six months to update their technical systems.
During this period, operators must revise their customer identification, payment verification and account management procedures.
The principal operational changes include:
- Introducing payment ownership verification controls.
- Updating customer identification procedures.
- Recording completed verification checks.
- Adapting deposit and withdrawal processes.
- Modifying account management and termination systems.
Implementation will require coordination between operators’ technology, finance and regulatory compliance departments.
Digital Identification and Additional Requirements
The decree also introduces changes concerning remote identification procedures.
These processes must meet the minimum requirements established through general authorisations issued by Sepblac, Spain’s financial intelligence authority.
The regulations expressly recognise Spain’s National Identity Document (DNI) in both physical and digital formats.
Additional obligations concern electronic identification and the retention of information collected during these procedures.
These specific provisions will become applicable 18 months after publication of the decree.
Stronger Financial Supervision
Businesses will also be required to maintain written policies addressing international financial sanctions and applicable countermeasures.
These obligations complement existing anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing controls.
The objective is to strengthen internal compliance procedures and improve oversight of financial transactions.
For online gambling operators, the changes will require reviewing both financial processes and customer identity verification systems.
DGOJ Advances Additional Player Protection Measures
The financial compliance amendments coincide with other regulatory initiatives being developed by the Directorate General for Gambling Regulation.
These include a common algorithm designed to detect risky gambling behaviour.
Developed using real player data, the tool aims to improve the early identification of potentially harmful gambling patterns.
On 13 October, the DGOJ launched a further public consultation on the proposed framework.
The initiative forms part of broader efforts to strengthen prevention and early intervention mechanisms.
Protecting Young and Vulnerable Players
The regulator is also developing centralised monitoring measures for specific customer groups.
Among the pending initiatives is a proposed common register designed to coordinate protective measures across licensed operators.
Implementation will require clear rules addressing:
- Information sharing between platforms.
- Risk identification and classification.
- Applicable player protection measures.
- Monitoring of vulnerable customers.
- Additional supervision of players aged 25 and under.
The project will depend on the adoption of appropriate operational requirements and data protection safeguards.
Next Steps and Impact
The entry into force of Royal Decree 813/2026 on 28 October will mark a new phase in the supervision of payments across Spain’s regulated iGaming market.
Operators will be required to verify that payment methods belong to registered account holders, adapt their technology systems and comply with additional record-keeping obligations.
For existing customers, the six-month transition will provide time to regularise their payment instruments, although withdrawals of winnings will remain subject to successful verification.
The changes come alongside DGOJ initiatives focused on identifying risky gambling behaviour and protecting vulnerable players.
Together, these measures strengthen Spain’s online gambling compliance framework, with particular emphasis on financial traceability, digital identification and consumer protection.
Editó: @fonta
