MADRID — Spain’s government has fined Airbnb 64 million euros ($75 million) for advertising tourist rentals that did not comply with national and regional rules, officials said Monday.
The consumer rights ministry said the listings either lacked mandatory license numbers, showed numbers that did not match official records, or included incorrect information about hosts. In many Spanish regions, tourist rentals must display a valid registration or license number to be advertised legally.
The penalty is one of the biggest imposed by the ministry and is part of a broader campaign against short-term rental platforms that authorities say are helping to drive up housing costs in popular cities and coastal areas.
Housing crisis drives crackdown on short-term rentals
Spain’s leftist government has repeatedly linked the growth of tourist rentals to an acute housing affordability crisis, especially in city centers and destinations that attract both residents and visitors.
“There are thousands of families living on the edge because of the housing crisis, while a few enrich themselves with business models that evict people from their homes,” Consumer Rights Minister Pablo Bustinduy said in a statement.
Officials argue that when homes are converted into lucrative short-stay accommodations, fewer long-term rentals remain available for locals, putting upward pressure on rents and pushing residents out of central neighborhoods.
In May, the ministry ordered Airbnb to take down about 65,000 listings it said broke advertising rules, citing missing license numbers and misleading host information. A Madrid court later backed the government’s stance in a related case, leaving an order to block nearly 66,000 listings in place.
Airbnb plans to appeal while pointing to new registration system
Airbnb said it intends to challenge the 64 million euro fine in court. The company argues that it has been cooperating with Spanish authorities, particularly around a new national registration system for short-term rentals.
According to Airbnb, more than 70,000 listings on its platform in Spain have added a registration number since January as hosts adapt to the new rules. The company maintains that clearer, unified regulations will make compliance easier for both platforms and property owners.
In previous statements about Spain’s enforcement actions, Airbnb has warned that overly strict or fragmented rules risk pushing activity into unregulated channels while hurting families who rely on tourism income. It also contends that short-term rentals represent only one piece of a wider housing puzzle that includes low construction rates and high demand in urban areas.
Part of a wider European push on tourist rentals
Spain’s move is one of the strongest in Europe against a global platform like Airbnb, but it is not unique. Other countries and cities, from Italy and Croatia to Barcelona and Amsterdam, have tightened rules, capped rental days, or forced platforms to share detailed data with local authorities.
In Spain, the ministry says its campaign is about enforcing existing consumer and housing laws rather than attacking tourism. Officials note that fines can reach several times the profit companies earned from non-compliant listings, and that enforcement is backed up by court rulings authorizing the removal of adverts that fail to meet legal standards.
Monday’s sanction follows investigations stretching back to late 2024, when authorities began compiling evidence of listings that lacked proper registration details or used false license numbers. In total, more than 65,000 ads were identified as problematic over that period, according to government statements.
What the fine means for hosts and travelers
For hosts, the message is that regulators are watching closely — and that platforms will increasingly demand up-to-date registration numbers and accurate legal information if they want their properties to remain online.
For travelers, the immediate impact is likely to be limited: most bookings can go ahead as normal, but some listings may disappear if they fail to meet Spain’s requirements. Officials say the longer-term goal is a more transparent market, where guests can be confident that rentals are properly licensed and comply with local housing rules.
The fine against Airbnb can still be appealed, and final outcomes may take time as the case moves through Spain’s courts. But for now, it underscores how central housing has become to the political debate — and how platforms that once operated at the edges of regulation are increasingly at the heart of it.
Sources:
AP News – “Spain fines Airbnb $75 million for advertising unlicensed tourist rentals”
Reuters – “Spain fines Airbnb $75 million for listings of unlicensed rentals”
