Spain has allocated €1.3 million in funding for academic research on gambling disorder prevention. The latest initiative will see the government award research grants to 26 projects, as confirmed by the Spanish Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ).
Spain Approves 26 Gambling Disorder Research Projects
Spearheaded by the Spanish Ministry of Consumer Affairs, the grant scheme aims to provide relevant government agencies with a better understanding of gambling disorders in the country.
The announcement of the grants follows a tender process that opened in April and was participated in by several academic institutions throughout Spain. The applicants submitted 39 research projects, 26 of which were approved, following a review by the DGOJ’s Evaluation Commission, with support from the State Research Agency of Spain, AEI.
The Recipients
The recipients of the grants include the following: the University of the Church of Deusto, the University of Santiago de Compostelo, the University of Oviedo, the University of Castilla La Mancha, and the Universidad Complutense of Madrid.
The Spanish government has this year stepped up efforts to combat gambling harms, introducing stricter rules on responsible gaming which are set to take effect in 2024.
At the moment, the DGOJ is conducting a stakeholder consultation on the implementation of the new rules which include measures aimed at enhancing player protection.