Spain Allocates €1.3m for Research into Gambling Harm, Boosts Prevention Efforts

Are you keeping up with the critical efforts to understand and mitigate gambling harm in Spain?

Spain’s dedicated gambling authority, the DGOJ, has made a significant move by allocating substantial funds to pivotal research.

With €1.3m earmarked for exploring gambling disorders, there’s a concerted push towards pioneering studies and preventative strategies.

Dive into the details below to learn about the groundbreaking projects set to reshape Spain’s approach to gambling-related issues.

Main Text: Spain’s regulatory beacon for gambling, the DGOJ, has taken a proactive step by earmarking funding for an array of research projects dedicated to examining gambling harm. This comes in the wake of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs allocating a substantial €1.3m for academic investigations that will delve deeper into understanding gambling disorders.

The tender process, meticulously overseen by the DGOJ’s Evaluation Commission and the state research entity, the AEI, has culminated in the selection of 26 promising projects. The recipients of these coveted grants, including esteemed institutions like the University of Oviedo and University Castilla La Mancha, are tasked with a critical mission. They are to pioneer research focusing on the early detection of gambling risks and behaviors that signify gambling disorders.

Expanding the research scope, the University of the Church of Deusto is set to examine the intersection of gender with risky gaming. Meanwhile, the University of Santiago de Compostela will hone in on the nuances of data and record-keeping practices. The Universidad Complutense of Madrid takes on several projects, notably investigating safeguards for younger demographics and probing the potential overlap between video gaming and gambling.

Earlier this month, further insights emerged as the Ministry of Consumer Affairs unveiled its Prevalence Study of Gambling. Presenting it to public health stakeholders and the Responsible Gambling Advisory Council, the comprehensive study offers a snapshot of gambling’s footprint across Spain’s 17 autonomous communities, derived from a robust sample of 20,000 surveys.

Findings indicate that a striking 49.5 per cent of the Spanish populace partakes in some form of gambling. Within this demographic, 97 per cent prefer in-person gambling, whereas 6.6 per cent opt for online platforms. A notable 81 per cent of participants reportedly engage exclusively with lotteries.

The insights also shed light on demographic trends, revealing that online gambling prevalence is most prominent among males aged 26-to-35 (23.7 per cent) and 35-to-45 (23.2 per cent). However, it’s the 18-to-25 age group that displays a significant pivot towards online gambling over land-based options, signaling a shift in generational habits.

Tags: #DGOJ, #Spain, #gamblingresearch, #funding, #academicstudies, #gamblingdisorders, #prevention strategies