Zona de Azar Spain – “Early Detection” Study on Gambling Disorder

Spain.- September 20, 2024 www.zonadeazar.com UNAD, the Spanish Network for Addiction Care, presented in Bilbao the study “Early Detection, with a Gender Perspective, of Participants with Risky or Severe Gambling Behavior,” which analyzes the factors contributing to gambling disorders in young people, considering the realities and motivations of both boys and girls.

The project was developed thanks to funding from the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs, and Agenda 2030, with technical assistance from the University of Deusto and collaboration from the Madrid Health Addiction Institute and the Alacrán 1997 Association.

A qualitative methodology was used, incorporating testimonies from young people and professionals who work with this population.

The goal is to enable early detection, design preventive actions and policies that respond to the youth reality, and facilitate access to resources for dealing with potential problematic gambling cases. The study also emphasizes the need to consider these factors when developing public health and policy measures.

During the presentation of the study at the University of Deusto, UNAD President Luciano Poyato highlighted that according to the Report on Behavioral Addictions and Other Addictive Disorders from the National Plan on Drugs, in 2023, 21.5% of students aged 14 to 18 had gambled online or in-person in the past 12 months.

He noted that, although these may seem like mere data, behind them are people whose gambling affects not only their mental and emotional health but also their social relationships, academic performance, and future careers.

Nerea Antia Vinós, advisor to the Basque Government’s Department of Health, emphasized that “prevention and intervention in addictions and problematic behaviors require us to work in connection with reality and in a state of constant adaptation.”

She pointed out that the Basque Addiction Plan, aligned with the growing rate of gambling among the Basque population, as shown in the latest regional government diagnosis, “calls for reinforcing comprehensive care for people with problematic gambling behaviors, all while maintaining a gender perspective and a life perspective.”

Mikel Arana, Director General of Gambling Regulation, praised initiatives like UNAD’s, the first research conducted under the Gambling Regulation’s grant line. He emphasized that regulatory decisions “require technical tools that allow for data-based decision-making.”

Arana also highlighted the importance of a gender perspective, pointing out that although a larger proportion of men gamble compared to women, the gender factors influencing gambling behaviors should not be overlooked.

According to Gambling Regulation statistics, “of the total 1,637,831 people with active accounts on online gambling platforms, 83.38% are men and 16.62% are women,” Arana noted.

The rector of the University of Deusto, Juan José Etxeberria Sagastume, closed the opening speeches by stating that “education and research must go hand in hand with social action,” making it “crucial” to identify and address the factors that sometimes lead to problematic gambling behavior.

The project’s author, Patricia Martínez Redondo, explained that individual, socio-relational, and social risk factors exist for developing risky, problematic, or even pathological gambling behavior, with differences between boys and girls.

The complete study can be found here.

Edited by: @_fonta www.zonadeazar.com