Conference 'Gambling, a Public Health Problem', May 9

The CaixaForum Zaragoza Auditorium will host the conference that will address gambling as a public health issue. The event will also be the framework for the presentation of two innovative prevention projects, GAMBL-OUT and GAMBL-HID, led by researchers from the IIS Aragón

Next May 9th 2025, CaixaForum Zaragoza Auditorium will be the setting for the conference "Gambling, a Public Health Problem," an event that will shine a light on the perception of gambling as a problem for the entire society, causing harm and costs (economic, social, etc.) at all levels. In Spain, more than €33.000 billion is spent annually on gambling, an amount that comes from the budgets of many gamblers and their families, causing harm not only at the individual and family level, but also to the community and society as a whole.

Organized by the Mental Health Research Group (GIIS017) of the Aragón Health Research Institute (IIS Aragón), the University of Zaragoza and SESPAS (Spanish Society of Public Health and Health Administration), this event will bring together experts in research, clinical practice, and public administration to discuss responsibilities and share knowledge about the harms of gambling and prevention and intervention strategies to address this growing problem.

This forum will be the framework for the presentation of two important projects: GAMBL-OUT (online prevention of gambling addiction in young people after the pandemic) and GAMBL-HID (gamified risk detection in university students), innovative initiatives coordinated by principal investigators Yolanda López del Hoyo and Javier García Campayo, experts in mental health and clinical psychology. Both proposals analyze the impact of gaming on youth and develop gamified tools and online psychoeducational programs for the detection and prevention of risky behaviors.

The program of talks It will analyze gambling not as a simple individual behavior, but as a problem that generates significant economic, social and health costs.From this perspective, we will discuss environmental prevention, intervention programs, associated damage, advertising, gender, and legislation. We will try to go beyond the concepts of responsible, safe, or sustainable gaming.

The event is Aimed at health professionals, public policy makers, educators, social intervention professionals, researchers and students, as well as the general public Interested in understanding the risks of gambling and the responses from a public health perspective. Attendance at the conference is free., prior registration through the following link.

A program with national leaders in research and public action

The program, which will run from 9:00 a.m. to 19:00 p.m., will include presentations, round tables, and a keynote address by Professor Mariano Chóliz Montañés (University of Valencia), under the title “Gambling is harmful” seriously mental health (and some public health).”

Throughout the day there will be first-class presences in their various fieldsTo discuss public health, costs, neuroscience, and social determinants, the panel will feature researcher Yolanda López del Hoyo from the University of Zaragoza; lawyer Alejandro Marín Abad; Hibai López-González from the University of Barcelona; José Tomás Mateos García from the University of Lleida; and Ismael Muela from the University of Granada.

María Pérez, from Madrid City Council, Catrina Clotas, from the Barcelona Public Health Agency – Environmental Prevention, and Juan F. Navas, from Complutense University, will speak on prevention.

Also will be contributed other approaches, such as gambling and gender, by Nerea Etxaburu of the University of Deusto; legal and legislative aspects by Jesús Cortés, an expert in gambling policies; and the book "Advertising and Gambling," coordinated by Daniel Lloret (Miguel Hernández University of Elche) and Santiago Canals Gamoneda (CSIC), will be presented.

Researchers Alicia Monreal and Marina Ledesma, from the University of Zaragoza, will be responsible for presenting the GAMBL projects.

La The inauguration will be attended by educational and health authoritiesAna Moracho, Director General of Educational Policy, Nuria Gayán, Director General of Public Health, Mª Valle Coronado, Secretary of the Spanish Society of Public Health, and Miriam Gañán, Aragonese Association of Rehabilitating Gamblers, will attend.

Complete program accessing through the following link.