The Spanish Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and Agenda 2030 has announced a competitive grant programme with a total budget of €950,620.
This is dedicated to funding research on the prevention, effects and risks associated with gambling activities.
The call for proposals, published as an extract in the official government bulletin – Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE) – will be administered by the Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ).
Applications are being invited from a broad range of institutions engaged in research. Eligible entities include public and private universities, health institutions, non-profit organisations and development centres.
Applicants are required to demonstrate an established research remit related to gambling studies.
The DGOJ has increasingly prioritised gambling harm research as part of its regulatory agenda, particularly around younger demographics and the convergence between gaming and gambling mechanics.
In March, the DGOJ released its Safe Gambling Programme (2026-2030) which specifically highlighted concerns over behavioural patterns associated with loot boxes, social casino products and other hybrid gaming features that may normalise gambling behaviours among minors and young adults.
The government has also emphasised the importance of gender-sensitive research and interventions. They cited evidence that gambling-related harms can affect demographic groups differently and may require tailored prevention strategies.
Research priorities
Projects submitted must address one of six thematic lines:
- Early detection of individuals exhibiting risky or severe gambling behaviours;
- Individual, family, or societal harm linked to gambling, including mental health issues and financial difficulties;
- Development of tools, mechanisms, or processes aimed at mitigating adverse consequences of gambling;
- Connections between the video-games sector and gambling, focusing on lotteries, games of chance, poker and betting;
- Structural characteristics of lotteries, games of chance, poker and betting businesses;
- Gender-related impacts on risky or severe gambling behaviours.
Research projects must commence no earlier than 1 January 2026 and conclude by 30 June 2027 at the latest.
Public consultation on the Gambling Regulation Act
This week, the DGOJ also announced a public consultation on Gambling Regulation Act amendments to tighter regulation on the use of famous people or influencers in gambling advertisements.
Advertising from gambling operators could only appear if a consumer directly searches for betting brands online.
Gambling advertisement reforms has been a consistent development within Spain’s gambling industry. A Royal Decree in 2020 imposed a ban on gambling sponsorship deals and heavily restricted TV and radio ads, placing a watershed between 5am and 1am.
In the original decree, the use of famous people and influencers in advertisement was prohibited, however this measure, among others, was overturned in April 2024.
Research undertaken last summer found that new online gambling accounts had decreased by over half since the Royal Decree’s introduction. The number of new online gambling accounts opened in 2023 totalled 1.35 million, down 55% from the 3.01 million registered in 2020.
Kathryn Evans
Kathryn covers bitesize breaking news with a primary focus on EMEA and US legislation. A proud North Walian, fluent Welsh speaker and lifelong Wrexham FC fan – long before Hollywood came calling.
