Airbnb hit with €75M fine in Spain for illegal listings
What's the story
Spain's Consumer Rights Ministry has slapped a €64 million ($75 million) fine on Airbnb. The penalty is for advertising unlicensed tourist rental homes, the ministry announced today. The move comes as part of a wider crackdown by Spain's leftist government and local authorities against tourism rentals listed on platforms like Airbnb and Booking.com.
Company reaction
Airbnb's response to the fine
Airbnb, which had removed 65,000 listings in July for violating ministry rules, has yet to respond to the fine. The penalty can be contested in court. According to the ministry's statement, this fine is six times higher than the profit Airbnb made from these illegal listings. It is also the second-largest penalty imposed by the ministry for violating consumer rights. Notably, in 2024, Ryanair was fined €108 million for charging extra fees on cabin bags.
Crisis intervention
Fine aims to tackle Spain's housing crisis
Consumer Rights Minister Pablo Bustinduy emphasized that the fine against Airbnb is aimed at tackling Spain's housing crisis. He said, "There are thousands of families living on the edge because of housing, while a few get rich from business models that drive people from their homes."