Key points:
- DGOJ allocates €1.05m to fund gambling disorder research projects under 2025 grant scheme
- Eligible applicants include Spanish-based public and private research centres and approved non-profits
- Research focus areas include early detection, social harms, structural game characteristics and the link between gaming and gambling
The Spanish Directorate General for the Regulation of Gambling (DGOJ) has opened the application period for its 2025 research grant programme focused on gambling-related disorders.
The call, published in the Official State Gazette on 17 May, provides a total budget of €1.05m ($1.18m) for studies addressing the prevention and impact of gambling-related harm.
Eligible entities include public and private research institutions, as well as non-profit organisations with relevant collaborative agreements. The submission window remains open until 18 June 2025, with projects expected to conclude by 30 June 2026.
Applicants may submit proposals under six priority research lines, ranging from the early detection of problematic gambling behaviours to investigations into the social and psychological effects of gambling, gender-specific impacts and links between gambling and the video game sector.
Projects analysing the structural design of gambling products such as betting, poker and lotteries are also encouraged.
The grant scheme forms part of Spain’s broader responsible gambling strategy, aligned with national social policy goals under the Ministry of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and Agenda 2030.
Good to know: Regulatory Order CSM/472/2022 provides the legal framework for the current call
The announcement follows a recent wave of enforcement activity by the DGOJ, which in May imposed €77.4m in sanctions against 14 unlicensed gambling operators. The penalties included multiple €5m fines and one €10m fine, accompanied by two-year bans from the Spanish market.
The regulator has stressed consumer protection and legal compliance as central to its mission.
In parallel, Spain continues to engage internationally on gambling regulation, most recently participating in collaborative forums hosted by the UK's Gambling Commission. Earlier this year, the DGOJ also held its first national anti-money laundering (AML) meeting with representatives across the Spanish gaming sector.
The full 2025 research grant call, including eligibility criteria and submission guidelines, is available via the DGOJ’s online portal and the National Subsidy Database.
