Spain has one of the most developed licensing systems for online gambling in Europe. Since 2012 online casino games have been legal at operators licensed by the Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ), and the rules on advertising, deposit limits and player protection have been tightened several times since. This guide explains how the system works, how to check a licence, how self-exclusion through the RGIAJ works, how winnings are taxed and where to get help.
Is online gambling legal in Spain?
Yes, at licensed operators. The legal basis is Ley 13/2011, de regulación del juego, which applies to gambling offered across Spain over the internet. An operator needs a general licence for each type of game (for example casino games or betting) and a singular licence for each specific game, such as slots, roulette or blackjack. Licences are issued and supervised by the DGOJ.
Offering gambling to people in Spain without a licence is a very serious infringement under the law. So is advertising or promoting an unlicensed operator, and the DGOJ has fined media companies, production companies and other third parties for doing so. The regulator can also ask internet providers and payment services to stop serving unlicensed sites.
You must be 18 or over to play. Players who use licensed sites are not breaking any law.
Who regulates online casinos in Spain?
The DGOJ is part of the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and Agenda 2030. It grants licences, certifies the games and platforms operators use, runs the national self-exclusion register and handles sanctions. Land-based casinos and gambling halls are regulated separately by the autonomous communities.
Advertising is governed by Real Decreto 958/2020 on commercial communications for gambling. It restricts when and where gambling can be advertised and requires responsible gambling messages. In April 2024 the Supreme Court annulled several of its articles, including the ban on promotions to attract new customers, so licensed operators may again offer welcome bonuses. The rest of the decree still applies.
How do you check whether an online casino is licensed in Spain?
Licensed operators must display the official Juego Seguro seal on their website. The seal links to the operator's record at the DGOJ. The DGOJ also publishes the full list of licensed operators, the games they may offer and their web addresses on ordenacionjuego.es. Checking that list is the only reliable test, because a seal or a licence number can be copied onto any site.
- Find the company name and the Juego Seguro seal on the casino's website, usually in the footer.
- Open the list of licensed operators on ordenacionjuego.es.
- Check that the company is listed and that the exact web address you are using belongs to it.
- Make sure the site asks for your DNI or NIE and verifies your identity before you can play.
- If the operator or the web address is not on the list, do not register or deposit.
What are the risks of unlicensed online casinos?
Unlicensed sites that accept players from Spain are outside the DGOJ's supervision. If a withdrawal is refused, an account is closed or bonus terms are applied unfairly, the regulator cannot take up your complaint, and enforcing Spanish consumer law against a company based abroad is difficult.
Unlicensed sites are not connected to the RGIAJ self-exclusion register and do not apply Spanish deposit limits. They also do not issue the tax information that licensed operators provide, which makes it harder to declare your winnings correctly.
- No DGOJ oversight or complaint route
- Not connected to the RGIAJ self-exclusion register
- No Spanish deposit limits or safer gambling checks
- No tax information for your income tax return
How does self-exclusion through the RGIAJ work?
The Registro General de Interdicciones de Acceso al Juego (RGIAJ) is Spain's national self-exclusion register. Once you are registered, every licensed online operator must refuse you access, and registration takes effect immediately for online gambling. It is free and indefinite, and you can only ask to cancel it after six months.
You can register online at the DGOJ's electronic office with a digital certificate, or submit the form at public registry offices, post offices and police stations. Registration with your DNI or NIE ensures that licensed operators can match it. For land-based venues, many autonomous communities keep their own register, so you may need to apply there as well.
What deposit limits and safer gambling rules apply?
Licensed operators must set deposit limits on every account. In June 2026 the government approved Real Decreto 520/2026, which introduces joint default limits that count your deposits across all licensed operators together: 700 EUR per day, 1,750 EUR per week and 3,300 EUR per four weeks. The DGOJ is building the central system that checks these limits in real time.
Real Decreto 176/2023 on safer gambling environments requires operators to detect risky play patterns, gives extra protection to players under 26 and prevents players identified as at risk from depositing with credit cards.
Do you pay tax on online casino winnings in Spain?
Yes. Winnings from online casino games are not taxed at source, unlike lottery prizes. They count as a capital gain in the general part of your personal income tax (IRPF) and are taxed at your marginal rate together with your other income. You declare them yourself in your annual return.
Losses from gambling can be offset against winnings in the same tax year, but only up to the amount of those winnings, and a net loss cannot be deducted from other income. Licensed operators give you a record of your activity. Keep it, and check your situation with the Agencia Tributaria or a tax adviser.
Where can you get help with gambling in Spain?
If gambling is affecting your finances, work or family, talk to someone. FEJAR, the Spanish federation of rehabilitated gamblers, runs a free, anonymous and confidential helpline on 900 200 225 for people with gambling problems and their families, and its member associations offer support groups across the country.
The DGOJ's responsible gambling portal jugarbien.es has self-assessment tests and a directory of help centres. Your bank can also block gambling payments on your cards.
- FEJAR helpline: 900 200 225, free and confidential
- jugarbien.es: self-tests and help centres
- RGIAJ: national self-exclusion register at the DGOJ
- Deposit limits and time limits in your casino account
Myths vs facts
- Myth: Any casino that accepts Bizum is licensed in Spain.
- Fact: Payment methods are not proof of a licence. Check the operator and its web address on the DGOJ list.
- Myth: Casino winnings are tax free in Spain like small lottery prizes.
- Fact: The lottery exemption does not apply. Casino winnings go into your income tax return as a capital gain.
- Myth: Welcome bonuses are banned in Spain.
- Fact: The Supreme Court annulled that ban in April 2024. Licensed operators may offer them, but other advertising rules still apply.
- Myth: Self-exclusion at one casino covers all of them.
- Fact: Only registration in the RGIAJ covers every licensed operator. Self-exclusion at a single site applies to that site only.
Before you claim
- Juego Seguro seal shown on the site
- Operator and exact website found on the DGOJ list
- Age 18 or over and identity verified with DNI or NIE
- Deposit and time limits set before you play
- Winnings and losses recorded for your IRPF return
- Withdrawals only to an account in your own name
- FEJAR helpline 900 200 225 saved