Spain Mandates Payment Method Matching for All Online Gambling Accounts Under AML Update
Spain's Royal Decree 813/2026 requires online operators to match every payment method to the account holder. The check is immediate for new accounts and required by 28 April 2027 for existing ones, with non-compliant accounts closed and balances returned. It responds to a 12% rise in impersonation complaints to 8,675 in 2025.
SCCG Take — Operators must prioritize verification technology now to limit withdrawal friction and closures, especially ahead of the €700 daily deposit cap. Lack of interpretive guidance increases compliance inconsistency risk across the licensed market.
Spain’s licensed online gambling operators must now verify that the holder of each payment method is the same person as the gaming account holder for deposits and withdrawals. The requirement took effect this week under Royal Decree 813/2026, published on 8 October by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Business. The decree amends 11 financial-sector royal decrees and tightens identity verification within Spain’s anti-money laundering rules. A verified gaming account is no longer sufficient by itself.
Compliance Timelines and Account Consequences
The rules apply immediately to new accounts. Existing customers have until 28 April 2027 to complete verification, as reported by news agency EFE. During the transition period, players may deposit and continue gambling but cannot withdraw winnings until the match is confirmed.
Failure to verify by the deadline requires operators to close the account, notify the DGOJ and return the full balance including any withheld winnings. The measure targets identity impersonation. Complaints rose 12% in 2025 to 8,675, according to EFE.
Synchronized Regulatory Pressures on Operators
iGaming Business reports that the 28 April 2027 deadline falls a month after nationwide deposit limits are expected to launch in March 2027. Those limits cap spending across all operators at €700 a day. The decree also extends to every player a control the DGOJ had previously proposed only for at-risk customers under its draft risk-detection test.
Operators must now implement reliable technical processes to confirm names behind cards, bank accounts and e-wallets. Jdigital has requested an interpretive guide from authorities to provide clarity and legal certainty, Sector del Juego reports. The absence of such guidance at this stage heightens execution risk precisely as operators also prepare for the deposit limit rollout.
The combination leaves limited room for error in systems and customer communications before both requirements converge on the same customer base.
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