Spain Activates Fraud Protocol as Identity Theft in Online Gambling Rises 12%

Spain’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs activated the PACS fraud protocol for the third consecutive year ahead of the 2025 tax campaign. PACS covers victims of identity theft in online gambling. From there, a dedicated web platform guides them through reporting and tax regularisation.

Victims were more likely to be women and those over 26. Those statistics contrast with the typical online gambling profile of men aged 18 to 25.

The General Directorate for Gaming Organisation traced the fraud to four methods. Self-excluded players accessed gambling through relatives’ details, while minors got around age checks via family accounts. On the technical side, bots handled accounts at scale. Furthermore, fraudsters created new profiles to claim welcome bonuses.

The GDGO also launched a Phishing Alert service. It sends email notifications to users when someone attempts to register on a licensed platform with their personal data.

TGJ Take

The casino fraud increase tracks directly with the return of welcome bonuses after the Supreme Court ruling. Fraudsters do not need sophisticated tools. Instead, a relative’s identity and a new account give them access to a bonus. Self-exclusion offers no protection against that, because it identifies a name and not the individual. Secondary identity verification at registration is where operators need to act.