Spain Pushes for Earlier Gambling Awareness in Schools

Spain Pushes for Earlier Gambling Awareness in Schools

The Spanish Ministry of Social Rights, Consumption, and the 2030 Agenda has called for stronger prevention policies targeting underage gambling, following the release of new national survey data. The findings, drawn from the ESTUDES study on drug use and related behaviors among students, shed light on how gambling is taking hold among adolescents and where prevention efforts may be falling short.

The survey, carried out by the Spanish Observatory on Drugs and Addictions, focused on students aged between 14 and 18. When the Directorate-General reviewed the results for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ), officials concluded that awareness of gambling risks remains uneven compared with other public health issues.

While a large proportion of students reported having been taught about the dangers of misusing technology or alcohol, fewer than half said they had received gambling information. Only 48.4 percent of respondents recalled any instruction on the risks associated with betting or games of chance. By contrast, 74 percent said they had been informed about digital misuse, while 72.3 percent had learned about the risks of alcohol or other legal substances. This discrepancy has prompted calls for education programs on gambling to be treated with the same level of urgency as those addressing other adolescent risk behaviors.

The survey revealed that nearly one in five students, 19.8 percent, reported having gambled for money at least once. Despite growing concerns about online platforms, most underage gambling was said to take place in person, with 16.6 percent admitting to land-based betting compared to 9 percent who participated online.

The numbers also showed an apparent increase with age. At 14, around 13 percent of respondents had gambled in person, a figure that rose to nearly 20 percent by age 17. Boys were consistently more likely to gamble than girls, with 26.8 percent of male respondents saying they had gambled compared with 12.6 percent of female respondents.

Perhaps most concerning for regulators was the age at which gambling begins. The survey indicated that the average starting point was just under 14 years old. Starting this young, the ministry warned, could increase vulnerability to harmful patterns later in life.

At the same time, the data provided nuance. Most adolescents who gambled said they did so only occasionally, often just once a year. Among those who had placed bets, almost two-thirds reported never spending more than six euros on a single day. This suggests that while gambling is present among Spanish teenagers, for many it remains a low-frequency, low-cost activity.

Still, the survey detected early markers of problem gambling in a smaller segment of students. Around 3.7 percent of respondents showed signs of potentially harmful behavior, with boys three times more likely than girls to be affected.

The type of gambling activity played a significant role. Games categorized as “Type III”, such as sports betting, slot machines, and card games, were more closely linked with signs of problematic play. Lotteries, pools, bingo, and instant lotteries were considered less risky, though they were not free of concerns. This distinction is particularly relevant for regulators, as it helps identify which forms of gambling present greater challenges when it comes to protecting minors.

For the Ministry of Social Rights, the ESTUDES findings underline the need to strengthen the education system’s role in gambling prevention. Officials argue that students are already well exposed to guidance on alcohol and technology, but are receiving comparatively little structured information about gambling.

By expanding prevention programs, policymakers aim to counteract early initiation into gambling behaviors. The ministry has also emphasized the importance of tailoring efforts to address gender differences and to focus specifically on the forms of gambling that carry higher risks.

Spain has already introduced measures intended to limit gambling-related harm, particularly among younger demographics. Advertising restrictions, tighter rules on bonuses, and oversight of licensed operators form part of the current framework. Even so, the ESTUDES survey demonstrates that underage participation has not been eradicated and that more preventive work is required within schools and communities.

The DGOJ has noted that enforcement against unlicensed operators remains critical, but prevention cannot rely on regulation alone. Education, officials argue, must be a central component of long-term policy. If adolescents begin gambling around the age of 14, awareness campaigns need to reach them earlier, before participation becomes normalized.