December 15, 2025, 2:43 p.mDecember 15, 2025, 2:43 p.m
The Spanish government has imposed a fine of around 64 million euros on Airbnb. The Ministry of Consumer Protection in Madrid said the main reason was advertisements for more than 65,000 apartments that did not have the required license. The platform for tourist accommodation must also delete the irregular advertisements promptly. There was no immediate comment from Airbnb.
The fine is around 64 million euros. (symbol image)Image: imago-images.de
The fine for “unfair commercial practices” is the second highest ever imposed by a consumer protection authority in Spain, said Minister Pablo Bustinduy. Only the fine of 108 million euros that was imposed on the airline Ryanair in 2024 was larger.
The Spanish Minister Pablo Bustinduy.Image: keystone
It was said that the amount of the penalty corresponds to six times the profits that Airbnb made from the objectionable advertisements from the time of the first warning until they were removed. The penalty is legally binding and an appeal by the platform to the ministry has been rejected. The left-wing government had previously repeatedly asked the Airbnb European headquarters in Ireland to remove the ads that were classified as illegal.
“Thousands of families live on the subsistence level”
The mass rental of holiday apartments in Spain is criticized by many as one of the main causes of the increasing housing shortage. The government in Madrid and the various regions have been trying for a long time to regulate and curb this type of rental more closely.
The measure could make it significantly more difficult for visitors to rent holiday accommodation in the future. (symbol image)Image: keystone
Especially in large cities and tourist hotspots such as Mallorca, Ibiza or the Canary Islands, the demand for living space significantly exceeds the supply, which causes rents to rise sharply. This is why there are repeated protest demonstrations. The number of holiday apartments offered via platforms such as Airbnb is now estimated at more than 400,000 in Spain.
“There are thousands of families who live on the subsistence level because of the housing situation, while a few get rich with business models that drive people out of their homes,” said Bustinduy. In Spain, no company, “no matter how big or powerful, should be above the law.”
Bad news for tourists
Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had previously assured that the apartments that Airbnb had previously advertised illegally would soon be added to the regular housing market. It’s not good news for tourists. The measure could make it significantly more difficult for visitors to book cheap holiday accommodation in the popular holiday destination in the future. (sda/awp/dpa)
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