New rules on the authorisation and mandatory monitoring of gambling transactions have been sanctioned by authorities in Spain.
Announced by the government gazette, new commands have been applied to the regulations supporting Law 10/2010, Spain’s Federal Law on “Preventing Money Laundering & Terrorist Financing Activities.
Changes were applied via Royal Decree 813/2026, published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) on 10 October. The decree strengthens requirements for player identification and the verification of financial transactions conducted through online gambling platforms.
As reported by SBC Noticias, the principal requirement is that “payment ownership must match the gambling account. Operators must verify that payment methods used for deposits and withdrawals belong to the registered account holder.”
New provisions set in Article-21 will require operators to establish that the payment-method holder “is the owner of the gambling account”, as verification processes of initial transactions with operators must be record kept.
The command applies to online gambling transactions conducted through electronic, computer, app and interactive channels.
Existing customers will have a six-month transition period to complete the adjustments necessary for operators to verify payment ownership.
During the transition period, customers can continue depositing through their established payment methods and participating in games. However, withdrawals of winnings will be restricted until the verification requirement has been met.
The transitional provision states that affected players “may not withdraw the winnings they have obtained”, in translation.
Once the six-month deadline expires, operators must unilaterally terminate contracts with customers whose payment ownership remains unverified. Records of customer activations and terminations must be submitted to the Directorate General for Gambling Regulation (DGOJ).
Account closure will require the return of outstanding balances, including winnings withheld during the transition period, subject to applicable anti-money laundering and terrorist financing obligations.
Operators have the same six-month period to adapt their technical systems. The changes will require updates to payment checks, customer identification and account management procedures.
Identification and compliance requirements expand
The decree also strengthens standards for remote identification. Secure verification procedures must meet the minimum requirements established in general authorisations published by Sepblac, Spain’s financial intelligence authority.
Further amendments expressly recognise Spain’s National Identity Document (DNI) in physical and digital formats. Provisions concerning electronic identification and the retention of information obtained through those procedures will apply 18 months after publication.
Businesses must also maintain written policies covering international financial sanctions and countermeasures alongside their existing anti-money laundering controls.
The decree enters into force on 28 October 2026, with separate adaptation periods governing individual obligations.
For Spanish licence holders, payment verification adds another implementation programme alongside outstanding safer gambling projects.
These include the DGOJ’s common algorithm for detecting risky gambling behaviour. Developed using real player data, the mechanism is intended to improve early identification and intervention.
The regulator opened a further public consultation on its proposed framework on 13 October.
Operators also await clarity on centralised monitoring arrangements for younger and vulnerable customers, including the proposed central register. Implementation will require clear rules on information sharing, risk classifications and protective action across licensed platforms, with particular attention to customers aged 25 and under.
