Spain

At the federal level the sale of sexual services is not criminalized — Spanish jurists call this status "alegalidad". Third-party profiteering is criminalized under Article 187 of the Penal Code (proxenetismo), and Ley Orgánica 10/2022 ("ley del solo sí es sí") tightened restrictions on facilitation and advertising. Ley Orgánica 4/2015 on Citizen Security (the "Ley Mordaza") remains in force and is the principal national vehicle for fining street activity: Art. 36.11 fines clients soliciting near schools or in traffic-risk areas, and Art. 37.5 is used against workers for "obscene exhibition". A PSOE-led abolitionist proposal to adopt the Nordic Model passed its first Council of Ministers reading in March 2024 but stalled; a separate abolitionist prostitution bill failed in Congress in May 2024. In May 2026 Minister Félix Bolaños confirmed the abolitionist law is NOT in the 2026 Plan Anual Normativo, meaning the Nordic Model has effectively been shelved for this legislative term.

Catalonia's Law 11/2009 licenses "clubes de alterne" subject to municipal approval; roughly 50 grandfathered clubs in Barcelona still operate under historic licences. Apartment-based independent work (the "piso" model) is the dominant format in Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia. Sevilla operates a client-targeted ordinance (fines €750–€3,000). Madrid attempted its own municipal ordinance in 2019 but it was rejected for exceeding municipal competence. The PP-led regional government in Andalusia has signalled intent to close clubs, but no mass closure had occurred as of 2025.

GDPR enforcement runs through AEPD (Agencia Española de Protección de Datos). The Ministry of Consumer Affairs' Internet Observatory announced in 2023 it would pursue platforms hosting prostitution advertising with fines up to €100,000 and potential takedowns, and Ley 10/2022 added grounds to act against online advertising. Enforcement has been inconsistent — major Spanish-language ad sites remain reachable but operate under increasing legal pressure.

EU/EEA nationals can travel and reside freely. Non-EU workers cannot obtain work visas for sex work given the alegal status, so non-EU arrivals work in a gray area and face deportation risk. Major hubs: Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Bilbao, Marbella/Málaga, and the Catalan border clubs serving French clients. Regional variation matters: Catalonia tolerates indoor work; Andalusia actively penalises clients.

Pasion.com (still operating), Skokka, Slumi for Spanish-language listings. Tryst.link and Eros.com are accessible. Print advertising (El País, ABC) ended voluntarily after 2010 government pressure.

• Sindicato OTRAS — sex workers' union
• Aprosex — Association of Sex Professionals (Barcelona)
• APDHA — Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos de Andalucía
• ESWA — European Sex Workers' Rights Alliance