Andorra Finance Minister Urges Financial Education to Combat Crypto Scams and Gambling Addiction

Andorra's Finance Minister Ramon Lladós has identified financial education as a key weakness in the country's school system, urging its expansion to protect young people from cryptocurrency scams and risky stock investments.

Speaking ahead of the first Responsible Gaming Day, Lladós, who chairs the Andorran Regulatory Council for Gambling (CRAJ), stressed that such training equips youth with essential tools to counter new threats like frauds and deceptive promotions from social media influencers promising quick riches without effort. He described these schemes as straddling the line between traditional gambling and highly speculative ventures.

Lladós tied the push to rising gambling addiction cases, noting Projecte Vida's most recent annual report—which covers last year—showed marked growth, particularly linked to such scams. "Financial education is one of the shortcomings in our education system," he stated bluntly, calling it a vital weapon against improper investments and misleading communications.

He recalled a hard-won proposal approved by the General Council late in 2025 to integrate financial education into the curriculum, deeming it especially relevant for Andorran youth facing risks that did not exist a few years ago.

At the event, CRAJ director Xavier Bardina reported around 60 self-excluded individuals—those who request bans from gambling venues and betting sites—but noted that 25% have since left the country. He attributed fluctuations to diverse cases, including temporary residents, seasonal workers who self-exclude briefly, those who lift bans after a year, and others receiving social aid. Bardina described the overall figure as modest.

Angelina Santolària, clinical coordinator at the Addictive Behaviours Unit, reported steady but slow growth in demand. Her team treated 9 people in 2023 and 15 in 2024, with 2025 on track for similar numbers rather than explosive increases. She profiled patients mainly as men aged 35 to 65, with 14 men and one woman among last year's cases.