When a person wins the lottery, it's supposed to be a life-changing moment. That is what a lottery winner in Spain thought, but then she found herself locked out of a €35,000 lottery prize. The reason? A shocking secret her late husband allegedly kept hidden from her for more than a decade. The bizarre case is now headed to court, raising questions about fraud, player protections, and the importance of responsible gambling safeguards.

A lottery win revealed the secret

In August 2025, 79-year-old Carmen won €35,000 on the Spanish ONCE daily draw lottery. It's a moment to celebrate, right?

It should have been, but it was a moment of clarity for Carmen. When she went to collect her winnings, she found out that she was unable to.

Why is that? As it turns out, her late husband had put her on the General Register of Gambling Access Bans. That is a system where people with gambling issues can ban themselves from entering lotteries, casinos, and bingo halls.

So, if your name is on the General Register, which was established in 2011, and you win a lottery prize, then you cannot claim the winnings.

How did it work?

As it turns out, Carmen was allegedly put on this register by her late husband back in 2012. So, for 14 years, she has been on the list, supposedly without her knowledge.

Court records state that her husband allegedly secretly forged his wife’s signature on the form. He then added a letter that was worded as if Carmen had a major issue with gambling, was unable to travel, and therefore allowed him to apply on her behalf.

Those documents were later sent to the Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling. Clearly, it worked, and she was added to the General Register.

Family drama

After discovering this information, Carmen was upset by the matter. In addition, her children were just as annoyed at what her late husband did. One of her daughters believes he did it because Carmen went to bingo too often.

Her daughter told the Irish Mirror:

My father was a disaster as a husband. He had a sexist mindset and didn't like my mum going to bingo at the community center with her friends, because he was left alone at home. They had a heated argument over that.

Lawsuit filed

It’s been 14 years since her husband added her to the register, but Carmen has now gone to court to try and have that ban overturned. The case is currently before the High Court of Justice of Madrid.

Carmen is seeking an annulment of her entry on the register. She wants this so she can then claim her winnings.

Lottery company speaks out

While Carmen has been denied her winnings, the company that runs the lottery, ONCE (Organización Nacional de Ciegos Españoles), has stated its take on the situation.

In the statement, a spokesperson explained:

We make our living from giving out prizes. In 2025, ONCE distributed 1,660 million euros in prizes, more than 81 million last weekend alone. We'd be delighted to pay these 35,000 euros as well, but the law prevents us from doing so. If the entry in the register is officially or judicially annulled, she'll receive her prize straight away.

For now, Carmen waits for a verdict on whether her ban will be overturned and she can claim her prize money.

Enjoy playing the lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.