New Spanish gambling deposit limits approved
Operators argue that the new joint deposit limits for online gambling in Spain could be costly to implement.
Spain.- Licensed operators of online gambling in Spain face fresh restrictions after the government approved a Royal Decree introducing joint deposit limits. Minister of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and the 2030 Agenda Pablo Bustinduy has signed off on the reforms, which were approved at the Council of Ministers yesterday (June 23).
Under the new framework, deposits to gambling accounts will be capped at €700 per day, €1,750 per week and €3,300 over a four‑week period. These limits will apply by default to every customer in Spain’s regulated market. Crucially, the limits now apply across all licensed operators, preventing customers from reaching a limit with one operator and continuing to gamble with another.
Players will be able to request the modification or removal of the new deposit limits, but only through a formal procedure that includes additional protective checks.
The new rules mark a significant shift from the previous system, where each operator set its own deposit limits. Operators will be required to update the information they provide to users about safer gambling tools.
According to the Spanish gambling regulator, the Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ), the new system is intended to strengthen consumer safeguards, particularly for consumers who gamble with multiple companies. According to its estimates, that would cover 31 per cent of all Spanish online gambling customers.
Bustinduy’s ministry described the new measures as “another step towards placing player protection at the heart of gambling regulation, strengthening measures to prevent risky behaviour and fostering safer, more responsible environments.”
Industry concerns over the new deposit limits for online gambling in Spain
Industry association Jdigital acknowledged that the change closes a loophole which allowed players to exceed limits by spreading deposits across multiple platforms. However, it said it fears that the new rules could concentrate activity among the largest firms, reduce competitiveness in the Spanish gambling sector while imposing heavy compliance burdens on operators.
The trade body highlighted the technical challenge of building a centralised, real‑time system capable of tracking deposits across all licensed operators simultaneously and cautioned that implementation could be costly for both the regulator and gambling companies. It called for a realistic timetable for implementation and argued that any early inconsistencies should not result in sanctions.
The association also reiterated its longstanding concern that repeated restrictions risk driving players towards unlicensed platforms. It pointed to an EY report suggesting that one in four Spanish customers already use illegal sites, and argued that further limits could worsen leakage. It also cited the Netherlands, where stricter player protection rules and higher gambling taxes have been linked to declining channelisation rates.
The latest measures add to the growing list of restrictions on the Spanish gambling sector. A Royal Decree in 2020 banned sponsorship deals between football clubs and gambling companies for the domestic market. Welcome bonuses were prohibited in the same year. Although they were reinstated in 2024 after a Supreme Court ruling, they are now under review again.
More recently, Bustinduy announced an amendment to Royal Decree 958/2020 introducing tobacco-style warning messages for online gambling sites. The Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and Agenda 2030 has also ordered a temporary block on the prediction platforms Kalshi and Polymarket pending a regulatory investigation.
