Court Orders Airbnb to Pay €64M Fine Now: The Legal Battle Over Illegal Spanish Listings Intensifies

Well...Airbnb's having a bad week.

ICYMI, a few months ago, Spain hit the platform with a €64 million fine for allegedly listing thousands of unregistered tourist rentals with fake or missing license numbers. The charge: Failing to verify hosts and letting illegal listings run wild.

Airbnb appealed. They asked the court to pause the fine while they fought it.

Well, that court just said no.

This strong decision doesn't settle the full case, but it does mean Airbnb must pay now—even as the legal fight continues.

Can a platform really be held liable for hosts with fake license?

It's a valid question, especially when the fine is six times the amount the Spanish government believes they profited from said illegal rentals.

Airbnb doesn't think so, and that's why they're not going to accept it without a fight.

The company is convinced the sanction conflicts with Spanish and European law. They've argued that platforms shouldn't be treated as housing authorities.

We're yet to see if that argument wins in the end. But for now, it's time to pay up.

👉 Read the full blog for all the details, Airbnb's side of the story, and a quick refresher on Spain's STR regulations in 2026.

Or read more about the 86,000 illegal listing takedown and its effect on Spain's Airbnb market here.

Cheers,

The Host Camp Team

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