Spain to tighten gambling ID checks to protect minors

Rajashree Seal February 3, 2025

SiGMA news

Spain to tighten gambling ID checks to protect minors

Spain is planning to introduce stricter ID verification requirements for gambling operators to prevent minors from participating in betting activities. Ahead of the announcement of this measure, the country’s Ministry of Health was preparing a report that was expected to show a decline in problem gambling rates and under-18 involvement.

The Socialist Parliamentary Group (SPG), which represents members of the Socialist Workers’ Party, put forward the proposal. The decision was influenced by a 2022 national study on addictions, which found that 21.5% of students aged 14 to 18 had gambled for money—either online or in person—within the previous year.

SPG highlighted that gambling participation among minors tends to increase with age, stressing the importance of early intervention to prevent long-term social and personal harm. “[The proposal] urges the government to implement identification systems in gambling machines and slots to control the access of minors and self-excluded people, as well as to promote a design and structure of online games that are less addictive,” an official communique stated.

Earlier on 27 January 2025, the Joint Commission for the Study of Addiction Problems—a parliamentary body focused on tackling addiction issues—reviewed and approved the amendments. The proposal will now move to Spain’s Congress of Deputies for debate and a vote before being passed on to the Senate for final approval. However, a date for the discussion in the Congress has not yet been set.

Spain currently requires online gambling providers to undergo identity checks in accordance with know-your-customer (KYC) and anti-money laundering (AML) rules. The new regulations would apply these requirements to land-based gambling establishments, resulting in tougher enforcement.

The drive for more stringent regulations is in line with worldwide patterns for controlling access to gaming. Due to worries that early gambling exposure raises the risk of long-term addiction, some nations, such as the Netherlands, have started tightening their regulations.

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