Spain's DGOJ slaps €10.29M in fines on illegal gambling operators in Q1 2026

From social media ads to rogue offshore platforms, Spain's gambling watchdog is tightening the screws. Who got hit hardest—and why? The regulator's latest crackdown reveals a shifting focus toward digital enforcement.

, and Administrator

2026 May 3 . 8:01 PM

1 min read

The image shows a poster advertising a concert in Madrid, Spain, featuring pictures of people, a... — The image shows a poster advertising a concert in Madrid, Spain, featuring pictures of people, a guitar, and other musical instruments. The poster also has text written on it.

Spain's DGOJ slaps €10.29M in fines on illegal gambling operators in Q1 2026

Spain’s gambling regulator, the DGOJ, has issued €10.29 million in fines during the first three months of 2026. The penalties covered nine separate cases, targeting both domestic and foreign operators. One notable fine involved a media company promoting an unlicensed betting platform through social media channels.

The largest fines went to two offshore operators, Perfect Storm B.V. and Rossobash SRL. Each was penalised €5 million for offering gambling services in Spain without the required authorisation. These cases formed part of the DGOJ’s ongoing enforcement against unlicensed activity.

Another case saw Make Money Now S.A. fined €10,000 for advertising an unlicensed operator on its platform, Zona Gemelos. The promotion used affiliate-style marketing across Instagram, Kick, X, and Discord. Regulators classified this as a serious breach under Spain’s Gambling Regulation Law (13/2011). The fine was later reduced to €6,000 after the company removed the content and cooperated with authorities. Since July 2021, the DGOJ has imposed 221 penalties totalling over €506 million. The regulator now plans to study how social media influences gambling habits. New systems to detect problematic behaviour in digital spaces are also under development.

The first quarter of 2026 saw the DGOJ maintain strict oversight of Spain’s gambling market. Fines were applied to both licensed and unlicensed operators, with a focus on unauthorised promotions. Future efforts will include monitoring social media’s role in gambling and improving early detection of risky activity.