A woman from Los Alcázares has filed a legal challenge against Spain’s national blind organisation, ONCE, after it refused to pay out a €35,000 prize from a daily lottery draw. The winning coupon was purchased on 5 August 2025 and presented for payment days later, but the prize was denied.
ONCE said the woman is registered on the General Register of Gambling Access Bans, a national self-exclusion database for people with gambling addictions. The organisation stated that the law requires it to check the register before paying prizes and to halt payment if a winner appears on the list.
The claimant argues that she was added to the register years ago by her late husband without her informed consent and was unaware of the consequences. Her lawyer maintains that ONCE allowed her to buy the ticket without warning that any prize could be withheld.
The case has now been brought before the High Court of Justice in Madrid. ONCE sources say similar cases have been examined by the court in recent years, with rulings in favour of the organisation.
This article was written with AI assistance and reviewed by a human editor before publication.