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Spain’s Gambling Regulator Unveils Algorithm to Detect Early Online Addiction

The evidence-based tool uses clinical microdata to standardize detection across operators under Real Decreto 176/2023.

Overview

  • Spain’s Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego, part of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, formally presented the new detection system on November 14.
  • The algorithm is trained on real microdata from patients medically diagnosed with gambling disorder to flag risky patterns of play.
  • Authorities say it will replace uneven, operator-led monitoring that has identified only about 3% of problematic cases.
  • Officials expect detection rates to rise markedly once the tool completes remaining procedural steps and becomes mandatory for all operators.
  • The rollout will occur within the safer-gambling framework set by Real Decreto 176/2023, with users notified when the system is operational.