Spain funds 20 problem gambling projects with $1.2 million
Spain's Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ) formalized the allocation of EUR 1,049,380 (equivalent to USD 1.2 million) to 20 research projects focused on the prevention and analysis of risks associated with problem gambling. The resolution, published by the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs, and Agenda 2030, distributes the funds among initiatives selected for the 2025 fiscal year.
The 20 funded proposals were chosen from a total of 42 submitted by universities, healthcare institutions, research and development centers, and non-profit organizations. The selection was made by the DGOJ's Evaluation Commission based on technical reports prepared by the State Research Agency, ensuring criteria of scientific quality and regulatory relevance in each approved project.
According to the regulatory body, the funded research aims to generate applied knowledge about gambling-related disorders, develop concrete prevention tools, and deepen the understanding of risk factors for different player profiles. "The results of these projects will contribute to further progress in the design of evidence-based public policies aimed at strengthening the protection of players and promoting safer gambling environments," the body stated in a press release.
The call is part of a sustained program of support for scientific research on gambling that the DGOJ maintains annually. In May 2026, the regulator already published the call for that fiscal year, ensuring continuity. This budgetary consistency is a distinctive feature of the Spanish regulatory approach, which combines market supervision with systematic investment in scientific evidence to underpin its regulatory decisions.
For the rest of Latin America, the Spanish model of public funding for research on problem gambling is a relevant benchmark. Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico have regulatory frameworks that include responsible gambling obligations for operators, but in few cases are these supported by state research programs of the scale and systematicity shown by Spain. As the region's markets mature, the demand for local evidence on the impact of gambling and the risk profiles of its players will inevitably grow.
Tags: Spain, DGOJ, responsible gaming Spain, problem gambling Spain, public policies DGOJ