The regional government of Andalusia is launching a significant new initiative to enhance its strategy against the growing challenges of gambling and technology addictions.
The core of this plan involves the creation of a comprehensive digital platform designed to connect and coordinate all relevant prevention initiatives across the region. This project, which forms a key part of the Third Andalusian Plan on Drugs and Addictions, was unveiled by Antonio Sanz, the Minister of Health, Presidency, and Emergencies, during the II Conference on Good Practices in the Prevention of Addictions held in Malaga.
The platform is scheduled for completion and implementation by the end of 2026.
Minister Sanz elaborated that the primary purpose of the new application is to substantially improve communication and collaborative efforts among the various institutions, associations, and local administrative bodies actively engaged in addiction prevention. The stated goal is to furnish professionals with a unified, centralised system that facilitates the real-time sharing of updates, provides streamlined access to essential resources, and strengthens inter-agency cooperation on the ground.
The planned digital architecture will function as a consolidated database of prevention programs developed by both public and private institutions across the whole of Andalusia. This resource will allow health and education professionals to readily access up-to-date information regarding active projects, alongside documented best practices.
According to the regional government, this tool is poised to foster closer collaboration between diverse organisations, resulting in greater efficiency in the planning, delivery, and efficacy of prevention programs. The initiative powerfully reflects Andalusia’s dedication to modernising its public health approach and making critical information more accessible to front-line workers.
The Malaga conference provided a platform to showcase several innovative projects that highlight current research and practical application in gambling prevention. These included “Tecnotest,” developed by the University of Valencia, a tool focused on the early detection of addictive behaviours linked to video games, social media, mobile phones, and gambling.
Additionally, the Aragon Health Research Institute introduced “Gamble Out” and “Gambl Hid,” two projects that investigate the impact of gambling on young people and aim to develop educational materials for schools and communities.
Further advancing educational prevention, the University of Córdoba’s Department of Mathematics presented a unique model that leverages probability and mathematics as teaching tools to demystify how chance operates in gambling. By fostering a critical understanding of randomness, the initiative aims to build critical thinking skills among students and dispel common misconceptions about gambling outcomes.
The development of Andalusia’s new digital platform represents a significant turning point, hoping to create a more coordinated, technology-driven network for comprehensive harm prevention.
