The Ministry of Consumer Affairs of Spain has raised the alarm at teenagers’ exposure to gambling, deemed “a worrying scenario for all Spanish authorities.”

Concerns are raised following the publishing of the 2024 ESTUDES Survey, which provides insights on behavioural risks and addictions in secondary schools across Spain.

According to the study, almost one in five teenagers between the ages of 14 and 18 (19.8%) admitted to having gambled for money, with the average age of initiation beginning at approximately 13.9 years.

Of those who gambled, a majority of 19% did so in physical venues such as bars and cafés, while 9% responded that they had gambled online.

Among the most concerning findings, a near one in four teenagers (24%) who engage in gambling admitted having played Type III games such as slot machines, cards and other high-risk formats.

Type III games are recognised as the highest risk games category impacting customer behaviour. However, within many of Spain’s autonomous provinces Type III games can be serviced by cafés and bars as ‘recreativos’ – in-venue terminals with fixed jackpots.

The data reveals a clear gender divide. By the age of 17, nearly one in five students are involved in gambling, with boys more than twice as likely as girls to take part. While many gamble infrequently and spend modest amounts, 3.7% of teenagers already show signs of problematic behaviour, rising to 5.5% among boys.

When placed alongside other risky behaviours, gambling remains under-addressed. The ESTUDES survey shows that only 48.4% of students recall receiving information on the dangers of gambling, compared with more than 70% who recall prevention training on alcohol and tobacco use.

This educational gap is seen by authorities as one of the most pressing concerns, particularly given that gambling begins at almost the same age as drinking and smoking.

In response, the Ministry has called for an urgent strengthening of prevention policies in schools, with greater emphasis on educating young people about the risks of gambling and early signs of problematic behaviour. 

Authorities have also flagged the need for tighter checks on retail points where underage gambling typically occurs, including cafés, lottery shops and small venues that continue to provide easy access to minors.

The Ministry concluded that without stronger action at the educational and retail levels, the current trajectory risks embedding gambling into adolescent habits in the same way tobacco and alcohol once were, but with potentially hidden consequences that emerge later in adulthood.

The findings of the ESTUDES survey are required by Spain’s federal government and its commitment to uphold the United Nations 2030 Agenda (UN2030) – which contains the charter to reduce social inequalities by investing in education and public health.

In wider developments, Spain seeks to position itself as the most sophisticated EU member state in supervising gambling behaviours, tasking the Directorate of Gambling (DGOJ) with building a dedicated AI-driven monitoring system to detect risk patterns.

Last week, the DGOJ launched its first public consultation on the framework since 2023, outlining a model that will apply more than 60 behavioural variables from frequency and stake size to deposit timing and cash-out habits — to identify players at risk. 

The system aims to unify standards across operators and enhance consumer protections, underlining Spain’s ambition to combine education, prevention, and cutting-edge technology in tackling gambling harms.

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