Spain imposes over €142M in fines on gambling operators in 2024
Spain’s regulator imposed impressive sanctions on online gambling and betting operators throughout 2024, reaching a total of €142.7 million in fines.
According to official data released by the Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ), the fines issued by the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and Agenda 2030 targeted both unlicensed foreign operators and Spanish-licensed companies that breached local gambling laws.
Sending offshore operators off the field
The most severe penalties were imposed on foreign operators illegally targeting Spanish consumers without proper licensing—a violation classified as “very serious” under Spain’s Gambling Regulation Law (LRJ).
In the first half of 2024, 13 foreign operators were each fined €5 million, while two licensed firms received fines totalling €325,000 for lesser violations.
In the second half of the year, the Ministry sanctioned an additional 14 foreign operators. One repeat offender was fined €10 million, while the others were each fined €5 million. These companies were also disqualified from operating in Spain for two years, and their websites were shut down.
Licensed operators also penalised
The Ministry did not spare domestic or licensed international firms. In total, 14 licensed operators were sanctioned in 2024 for “serious” breaches, resulting in €2.7 million in fines.
Infractions included breaches of advertising standards, failures in responsible gambling protocols, and other violations of Spanish gambling regulations.
Transparency and regulatory evolution
Since a 2021 reform of the Spanish gambling law, the Ministry has been publishing sanctioning resolutions and as part of a move toward greater transparency. The 2024 figures bring the total number of published sanctions to 180 since mid-2021, with over €475 million in fines imposed in just three and a half years.
In 2023, the Spanish gaming industry represented €7.4 billion in GGR.
