
A DGOJ license is a Spanish regulatory authorization that allows online casinos to operate in Spain, requiring separate licenses per game and strict compliance with national standards.
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The modern framework for online gambling in Spain was established by the Spanish Gambling Act of 2011. Among other changes that streamlined and centralized gaming regulation in the country, that legislation also established the Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ).
Today, the DGOJ is charged with regulating and overseeing all online gambling in Spain. The regulator is tasked with maintaining a safe and fair gaming environment for all players, while also protecting against fraud and money laundering and ensuring that vulnerable populations (such as children) are safeguarded from gambling harm.
The DGOJ is also responsible for keeping unregulated operators out of the Spanish market. That includes cracking down on foreign operators who target Spanish gamblers without a license.
One of the more interesting aspects of DGOJ casinos is the fact that they need two separate types of licenses to operate in Spain.
First, a casino must obtain a general license from the DGOJ. This is the basic license required to offer any online gambling in the country, and is normally valid for 10 years. However, an operator must also apply for "singular licenses", each of which allows an operator to offer a specific type of game. For instance, there are specific licenses for slot machines, blackjack, roulette, baccarat, poker, and multiple different forms of sports betting.
Most fundamentally, a DGOJ license signals that an operator is permitted to offer its games in Spain. That allows Spanish players to immediately know which sites are officially authorized in the country and distinguish them from operators that may be illegally providing gambling services in Spain.
Because the DGOJ is strict about its licensing standards, these sites also come with an added level of legitimacy and trust. DGOJ casinos must meet security standards both for data protection and financial transactions, and both the company itself and its key executives will have undergone and passed background checks to ensure these operations are trustworthy.
There are also some tangible benefits that players can look for with a DGOJ license. For instance, you’ll have access to a number of responsible gambling tools that are required for casinos that operate under this license, ranging from the ability to set deposit limits to access to RGIAJ, the national self-exclusion program that allows you to ban yourself from all regulated sites in Spain if you wish to do so.
Users can also feel confident in the fairness of the games of any site holding a license from the DGOJ. All sites regulated in Spain must be regularly audited by independent labs and have their random number generators certified and tested to ensure fairness.
Players can also rest easy knowing that if there is a dispute with the casino that they can’t solve themselves, that the DGOJ can step in to arbitrate the issue. You can issue a complaint to the DGOJ which will then act as a mediator to come up with an enforceable and fair resolution for all sides.
While the DGOJ license is highly trusted, it has its own strengths and weaknesses compared to licenses offered by other regulators. Here’s how the DGOJ compares to some other major regulatory bodies.

Both of these licenses offer access to one specific market. The DGOJ license is meant for operators who want to offer online gambling in Spain, while the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) license does the same for companies looking to do business in the United Kingdom.
While the DGOJ is specifically charged with overseeing online gambling in Spain, the UKGC regulates all gambling in Great Britain, including land-based operations.
While both regulators put a heavy emphasis on player protection, the DGOJ is even more strict, limiting gambling advertising to only 1 am to 5 am and enforcing mandatory deposit limits.
Bothe licenses are considered among the top-tier standards for online casino regulation in the world, though the UKGC remains perhaps the single most respected licensing body in the industry.

Unlike the DGOJ license, the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) offers licenses that are used to offer online gambling in many markets worldwide, particularly those without strong local regulatory bodies.
Note that an MGA license is not sufficient to operate in Spain (or many other strictly regulated nations), as an operator must obtain a DGOJ license to do so.
Operators who are looking to launch gaming on a global scale often turn to Malta due to its favorable tax policies, while operators owe about 20% in taxes on gross gaming revenue under a DGOJ license.
While the MGA license is highly respected, the Malta Gaming Authority doesn’t place many restrictions on its operators. Player protections are still strong, but there aren’t the kinds of mandatory limits or advertising restrictions that are seen in Spain under the DGOJ.
If you’re thinking about playing at an online casino and want to make sure it holds a license from the DGOJ, you can take the following steps:
Check the website for its licensing information. You should be able to see the license number and business information in the footer of each page. In addition, you should note that all DGOJ casinos must use .es domain names, and should display the DGOJ logo.
If you visit the DGOJ website, you can see the official list of all licensed operators in the Spanish market. You can search by brand name of company name to find the site you are looking for.
Once you’ve found your casino in the DGOJ registry, you’ll be able to see information on each license that operator holds. You can confirm that each license is valid and active.
If you believe a site is operating in Spain without a DGOJ license, you can report that casino to the regulator. You can use the contact information on the DGOJ website to issue your complaint or ask questions about the casino you have concerns about.
While the DGOJ has been a stable regulator since its inception, there have been some notable changes in recent years. Perhaps the biggest change came in April 2024, when Spain’s Supreme Court struck down regulations that had banned celebrity advertising of online gambling as well as most forms of welcome bonuses. The ruling led to increased promotions for new players, which in turn led to many new signups at DGOJ casinos.
Regulators are also planning or considering additional changes in upcoming years. The DGOJ is moving towards introducing a mandatory player risk model that will be powered by AI and will flag players who are engaging in risky gambling behaviors. It’s also expected that the DGOJ will move to reinstate at least some restrictions on bonus offers, and potentially ban the use of anonymous payment methods, both in the name of preventing fraud and promoting responsible gambling practices.
What is the DGOJ license?
The DGOJ license is a required authorization for any gambling operator who wants to offer online casinos in Spain. There are two different licenses that an operator must get before offering any form of online gambling in the Spanish market: a general license, and a specific license for each game type it plans to include on its sites.
Are players from all countries allowed to use a DGOJ casino?
A DGOJ license is specifically used to authorize online gambling activity in Spain, meaning it only allows a site to offer casino play to users in that one country. However, many operators who have a license from the DGOJ also have licenses in other countries, meaning you may be able to play at a site with the same brand as a DGOJ casino in your nation.
How can I check if a casino’s Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego licence is valid and up to date?
First, check the casino’s website and take note of its licensing information, which should be included in the footer at the bottom of each page. You can then go to the DGOJ website and search for the operator (or the specific casino) in their licensing register. There, you’ll see all of the information on the company’s licenses, including what games they are allowed to offer and if those licenses are current.

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