From October 28, 2026, Royal Decree 813/2026 is in force in Spain. When identifying a customer, a licensed online operator must make sure that the gaming account and the payment method used for deposits and withdrawals belong to the same person.
The decree was signed on October 7 and published in the BOE official bulletin on October 8. It takes effect 20 days after publication. The Ministry of Economy, Trade and Business issued it. It is an omnibus financial sector act that amends several existing royal decrees, and the gambling rules are only one part of it.
For operators, a verified account is no longer enough. Every card, bank account or payment gateway will have to be tied to the player's identity. Platforms need a reliable way to match the account holder's name against the player's data, and their existing customer base will have to go through the same check. Players who have been depositing with a partner's or relative's card will need to switch to a payment method in their own name.
Watch for guidance from Spain's Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ) and for how operators start requesting verification from existing players.
