Spain sees gambling as socially acceptable

A new study reveals that a majority of Spanish people back the gambling industry.

Spain.- CEJUEGO has released its “Gaming and Society” report, in which it shows that 9 out of 10 adults in Spain see gambling as an acceptable pastime. The leading industry trade group said that 29 million people —84.8% aged 18-75— played at least one type of gambling modality last year.

The study shows that 92% of some of the people surveyed see gaming as leisure, and see it as something like spending money for a show. The majority of those games that were played by the people surveyed were run by SELAE and ONCE. Approximately 6.6 million people (which represents 20% of the population in Spain) visited a casino, bingo or gambling facility in 2018. Moreover, it was detailed that the rate of problem gambling was 0.3% of the Spanish adult population.

A spokesperson for CEJUEGO said: “Regarding the games managed by private operators, the analysis concludes that they attracted more restricted audiences of different generations, highlighting that their clients are divided into those who play out of curiosity and those who play as a hobby and because they offer them spaces to socialise with friends and acquaintances.”

The study was carried out by the Institute of Politics and Governance at the Carlos III University of Madrid. Approximately 1.5 million people also gambled online during that period. That number also represents 0.9% of the total population in Spain. “This group shows dispersed behaviour patterns, from those who play stably to those who do it out of curiosity or who bet on an exciting game,” CEJUEGO said. “The behaviour of these users indicates that they have learned how to play online and rationalise their use – shorter sessions, moderate monthly spending or decreases in the playing of some games.”