31 million played in Spain in 2025; problem gambling fell to 0.30%

The Juego y Sociedad 2026 report places the number of people aged 18 to 75 who took part in any form of gambling in Spain during 2025 at 31 million, according to the presentation at the I Foro de CeJuego. The study also records a problem gambling prevalence of 0,30 %, a figure that positions Spain among the countries with the lowest incidence in the European Union.

Key figures from the study on gambling in Spain 2025

The document presented at the I Foro de CeJuego summarises gambling activity in 2025 with clear figures: 31 million participants aged 18 to 75 and a problem gambling rate of 0.30%. The report also breaks down playing frequency: 90% of users play on an annual or monthly basis, while only 2% play daily. That 2% represents a drop from the 4% reported in 2018.

The data focus on three quantifiable trends:

• Participation volume: 31 millones adult players in 2025.

• Problem gambling prevalence: 0,30 %, comparable to levels in Austria.

• Daily frequency: 2 % of players, versus 4% in 2018.

Changes in habits and product mix among young people

The report points to an evolution in preferences by age. Among 18- to 25-year-olds, ‘rasca y gana’ products are now the modality with the highest participation. The study does not provide absolute modality figures in the press summary, but records this shift in behaviour for those under 26.

A delay in the age of initiation into money-based in-person gambling is also observed. The document identifies that first-time players in face-to-face activities start, on average, later than in previous studies; the text does not publish the exact mean in the summary shown at the forum, but highlights the change as a relevant trend.

What the authors and the forum said about regulation and protection

The presentation at the I Foro de CeJuego linked the statistical findings to the regulatory debate. Speakers emphasised the need to combine user protection with regulation that reflects market realities and proposed effective measures against illegal gambling. The forum put the tension between control and the legal market centre stage; the discussion included protection of vulnerable groups and improved preventive tools.

The international comparison in the report places Spain among the lower-prevalence countries within the European Union, with levels similar to those observed in Austria. That comparison was used in the panel to argue that current policies are achieving measurable results in preventing problem gambling.

Implications for operators, regulators and suppliers

The report’s results carry practical notes for different sector actors. For operators, the concentration of players in specific products among young people — such as ‘rasca y gana’ — requires reviewing product strategies and age-verification controls. Regulators and competent authorities can use the fall in daily prevalence (from 4% in 2018 to 2% in 2025) as evidence to calibrate prevention programmes.

Technology and compliance vendors must address two needs: detecting changes in usage patterns and building protection mechanisms adapted to different ages. During the forum, urgency was stressed for measures against illegal gambling and for indicators that allow monitoring risk evolution in near real time.

Interpreting the low prevalence and the study’s limits

The 0.30% rate places Spain at the lower end of the EU, but the report acknowledges common methodological limits: differences in problem-gambling definitions between studies and the temporal scope of surveys. The comparison with Austria is presented as similar levels, not as an exact methodological equivalence.

Authors and participants at the I Foro de CeJuego flagged the need to maintain surveillance of risk subgroups and of possible migration to unregulated offers if national policies create unforeseen frictions in the legal market. The forum also stressed combining protection tools with policies that reduce the attractiveness of the illegal market.

What remains to be studied and next steps

The Juego y Sociedad 2026 report sets a snapshot of 2025 that will serve as a baseline for future comparisons: changes in playing frequency, behaviour by product and shifts in age of initiation. The sector noted at the I Foro de CeJuego that consistent time-series data will be necessary to assess the real impact of public policies and private prevention initiatives.

The forum agenda includes improving data quality, harmonising measurement criteria and strengthening cooperation between operators, technology suppliers and regulators to tackle illegal gambling. Participants called for measures that are both protective and proportional to the risks identified by the study.

"The combination of protection and regulation tailored to the market is the only way to keep a legal sector competitive and responsible," said one of the speakers at the I Foro de CeJuego.

The full study and the public discussion around the presented data provide operators, regulators and investors with a quantitative basis for product, compliance and market strategy decisions. For those working in Spain’s gambling ecosystem, the report’s main message is clear: participation remains broad, declared clinical problem levels are low, and attention should focus on protecting vulnerable groups and curbing illegal gambling. For further reading on legislation and consumer protection, the industry can consult materials on [regulation](/regulation) and sector analysis in [B2B](/b2b).