Spain Debates New Measures to Protect Young Online Gamblers

Spain’s online gambling market has grown rapidly over the last few years. This activity, which was once mainly associated with adults visiting betting shops and casinos, has now become deeply ingrained in digital culture. It’s a big part of why Market Research Future believes the market will grow from $1.56 billion in 2025 to $4 billion by 2035.

And to survive this growing competition, gambling platforms have to be more strategic in how they attract new players. It’s the reason a young football fan watching match highlights could suddenly come across promotions offering a no deposit bonus or even called "bonos sin depósito" presented as a risk-free way to get started. And yes, these offers are designed to feel entertaining rather than serious, but that’s exactly what concerns many regulators.

When younger audiences begin to associate gambling with casual entertainment long before they fully understand its potential risks, they can easily become problem gamblers. And you don’t want to expose such vulnerable groups to financial stress, emotional struggles and unhealthy habits simply because gambling became too easy to access. As such, Spain’s gambling authority, DGOJ, recently introduced a new Safe Gambling Programme for 2026-2030, aimed at strengthening consumer protection and reducing gambling-related harm among young players.

Why Young Players have Become the Main Concern

Did you know that, according to Ontsi.es, 96% of minors in Spain regularly use the internet, while over 95% use computers and tablets? At the same time, young Spaniards aged 18-24 spend an average of 263 minutes daily on their phones. That’s over four hours in a single day, making them the country’s heaviest mobile users.

And mark you, wagering companies have been evolving alongside, developing mobile-friendly platforms in order to appeal to the rising number of smartphone users. This, in turn, increases the likelihood of a youth encountering a casino game as they scroll online. In other cases, they may encounter their favorite influencers discussing wagers as if they were simply part of the entertainment experience.

Of course, when someone you celebrate a lot talks about something, you are likely to change your perception of it. And in betting, that influence can be powerful, causing young people who never intended to gamble to become curious enough to try it. Then there’s also the issue of availability. Since digital platforms operate 24/7, players can continue gambling late at night or even during school breaks. The convenience removes many of the natural pauses that once existed in physical betting environments.

Putting all these factors together, it’s easy to understand why efe.com suggests that up 8.4% of youths aged 14-18 are problem gamblers, up from 6%. If nothing is done, these figures could continue skyrocketing. But thankfully, Spain has noticed the trend and has initiated conversations on how to curb it.  

The New Measures the Country is Considering

Just recently, the Comisión para el Estudio de los Problemas de las Adicciones passed three legislative proposals in a bid to protect their youth. The first proposal focused on strengthening preventive measures, with a stronger emphasis on treatment and rehabilitation programs among vulnerable audiences. To be effective, the proposal suggests proper coordination between families, educational institutions, social services and any other stakeholders involved in youth wellbeing.

The Vox parliamentary group initiated the second proposal, whose main focus was the dangers of immediate rewards. According to the proposal, there is a need for scientific evidence about how these awards affect players. And with this information, proper regulations could be established in the coming days.

The last legislative action was made by Senator Rafael Rodríguez Villarino. Its aim is to educate young people about all the possible dangers of online gambling while conducting studies of how different factors influence adolescents’ decision-making. The idea is to move toward a much more proactive approach instead of just waiting until gambling harm becomes visible.

And at a recent meeting in Barcelona, DGOJ’s General Director, Mikel Arana, announced the Joint Deposit Limit System that will help monitor the economic exposure of players. Alongside this system, the regulator seeks to develop a common mechanism that will help detect risk behaviors before they spiral.

There have also been efforts to limit the activities of unlicensed operators. In 2024 alone, Spain imposed nearly €143 million in penalties against operators, including foreign ones operating without licenses. Authorities believe illegal platforms often bypass consumer protection standards, making vulnerable players even more exposed to harm.

What These Measures Mean for Spain

Based on these measures, Spain’s regulatory environment is clearly entering a much stricter era. For operators like Goldzino Casino, the focus is no longer purely on compliance paperwork alone. You’ll be expected to demonstrate your genuine commitment to players’ wellbeing.

And this means, you may need to invest more in:

• Player protection technology
• Identity verification systems
• Behavioral monitoring tools
• Safer gambling education

But again, there has to be a careful balance between consumer protection and market sustainability, as excessive restrictions could unintentionally push players toward offshore platforms.