Report on Behavioral Addictions and Other Addictive Disorders: Spain 2025

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
Among students aged 14 to 18, the prevalence of gambling in the last 12 months rose from 21.5% in 2023 to 24.4% in 2025, with a much larger increase among men.See it on page 21
02
In 2024, 3.2% of players of the 15 to 64 population who answered the DSM-5 scale showed possible problematic gambling, and 1.3% showed possible gambling disorder.See it on page 43
03
Among students aged 14 to 18 in 2025, 5.2% would exhibit possible video game use disorder, a figure similar to 2023.See it on page 72
04
In 2023, gambling was the cause of 81.6% of admissions to treatment for behavioral addictions reported to the indicator.See it on page 84
05
In 2025, 19.4% of students aged 14 to 18 were at high risk of possible problematic internet use, with the figure higher among women (23.4%) than men (15.5%).See it on page 61
06
In 2025, 15.3% of students aged 14 to 18 showed possible problematic social media use, the first year this was measured.See it on page 64

Summary

The Spanish Observatory on Drugs and Addictions (OEDA) and the Government Delegation for the National Plan on Drugs present a 2025 monographic report on behavioral addictions in Spain, covering gambling, problematic internet use, possible video game use disorder, problematic social media use, and pornography. The findings draw on two national surveys: EDADES, covering the population aged 15 to 64, and ESTUDES, covering students aged 14 to 18. Admissions to treatment for behavioral addictions are reported from the SEIDA indicator, with 2023 as the reference year.

In 2024, 53.8% of the population aged 15 to 64 reported gambling in the last 12 months, and this prevalence has declined since 2022. Among students aged 14 to 18 in 2025, 24.4% reported gambling in the last 12 months, up from 21.5% in 2023. Online gambling among students rose to 13.0% in 2025, compared with 10.7% in 2023.

For problematic internet use, 3.7% of the 15 to 64 population showed possible problematic use in 2024, while 19.4% of students aged 14 to 18 did so in 2025. Possible video game use disorder affected 5.2% of students in 2025. In 2023, gambling accounted for 81.6% of the 4,916 admissions to treatment for behavioral addictions.