The Spanish Safe Gambling Advisory Council convened on 17 March at the DGOJ headquarters in Madrid to review the final version of the Safe Gambling Program for 2026 - 2030.
A framework for public policy was established, focusing on prevention, improved control mechanisms and an evidence-based approach.
Six general objectives and 24 specific measures outline key improvements that the DGOJ will implement. The program includes measures to protect youth from gambling-related harms, including evaluating how social media marketing affects young people.
Documents announcing the program highlighted several market developments since 2019 that prompted a reassessment of player protections. Data indicates that 6.29% of the population aged 18 to 25 participated in gambling during the analysed period, mostly online.
Spending is concentrated among a small group of players rather than being evenly distributed, which impacts sector analysis. However, this may simply reflect the players’ income levels. Additionally, revenues are largely generated by a small number of major operators.
Emerging technologies are being studied, particularly the effects of artificial intelligence and video game loot boxes. The emphasis is on research and monitoring instead of immediate regulation.
According to the program, collaboration with treatment providers will be strengthened. Furthermore, gambling monitoring will be integrated with national addiction frameworks such as EDADES, ESTUDES and the Plan Nacional sobre Drogas.
The program also plans for public communication and awareness campaigns that will leverage digital platforms and social media.
A standardised mechanism to detect risky online gambling behavior will be developed, as mandated by the 2023 Royal Decree. Meanwhile, existing tools such as the General Registry of Gambling Access Restrictions, fraud detection systems and identity verification protocols, remain central
Commitments also include evaluating the impact of the 2020 and 2023 Royal Decrees and their alignment with European Union directives and international regulatory frameworks. These introduced stricter controls on advertising, session and payment limits, as well as account suspension protocols.
To support the program with solid evidence, the DGOJ launched a €1 million research grant scheme in May 2025
