Spain’s Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs, and Agenda 2030 has imposed fines totaling over EUR 33 million (approximately $38 million) on 32 gambling operators. This also includes very serious penalties against six foreign companies that were operating without a license in the country.
Spanish Regulator Announces Dozens of Hefty Fines
According to the Directorate General for Gambling Regulation (DGOJ), six companies were penalized for very serious infractions, each receiving a EUR 5 million ($5.75 million) fine along with an enforced domain shutdown. The offshore operators sanctioned were XYZ Entertainment, Moonrail Limited, EOD Code SRL, Samaki, Lone Rock Holdings, and Novaforge.
The remaining 26 fines, classified as “serious,” were imposed on licensed gambling operators that violated Spain’s Article 40 of Law 13/2011, which regulates gambling. The amounts of these fines varied according to the nature of the breach, totaling EUR 3.5 million ($4.03 million) for the 26 licensed B2C companies.
The Ministry stated that these measures reflect its intensified enforcement efforts in 2025, during which Pablo Bustinduy’s department has issued 58 serious and very serious sanctions totaling nearly EUR 111 million ($127.7 million). Since the regulatory reform of July 2021, a total of 212 sanctions have been publicly disclosed, amounting to EUR 496 million (approximately $570 million) in penalties.
In recent times, Spain has tightened its grip on the gambling industry and is stricter in enforcing its regulatory policies. The country recently hosted the International Gaming Congress, where it showcased its policy ambitions and its growing influence among EU regulators. The event also served as a forum for senior officials, operators, academics, and international experts to engage in discussions about the responsibilities of the gaming industry.
Here’s a Further Breakdown of the Penalties
The ministry has imposed another 26 serious penalties totaling EUR 3 million ($3.46 million) for various violations of gambling regulations, as reported by the ministry itself in a statement on Tuesday. This latter group includes companies such as Betfair, 888 Online, and Codere.
For example, 888 Online will have to pay a EUR 250.000 (about $290.000) fine for failing to meet the technical requirements for its software and communication systems and for using non-approved technical systems. Beatya Online has been fined EUR 300,000 ($347.000) for a similar situation, and Betfair will have to pay a penalty of EUR 100.000 ($116.000) for non-compliance with player protection and responsible gambling regulations.
Electraworks Ceuta has been fined EUR 512.000 ($around $592.000) for allowing access to gambling for prohibited individuals, using unauthorized or unapproved technical systems, and for non-compliance with software technical requirements. This last reason also affects Codere, which has received a penalty of EUR 17.500 ($20.000).