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Isabelle Falque – Pierrotin, President of the ANJ and Catherine Delorme (President of Addiction Federation) signed a partnership contract on the 23rd of July 2024. The agreement aims to improve the prevention of gambling addiction and protect minors through joint action.
The Gaming Observatory estimates that in 2019, there were 1.4 millions at-risk gamers, with nearly 400,000 of them at the pathological end. The problem gambling sector generates 38% more turnover than the average and 21% of that is generated by excessive gamblers. The figures should be updated shortly. They illustrate the social problems that young people face, as well as the collateral damages they cause to their immediate family: debt, family issues, academic difficulty, etc.
The ANJ’s strategic plan for 2024-2026 has as a top priority the reduction of the number and share of excessive gamblers, and the strengthening of the gambler’s ability to control their gambling practices through prevention measures against excessive gaming, along with those taken by public authorities.
The strategic plan is built on two foundations that are cross-cutting and of special interest for the partnership with Addiction Federation. These include making the scientific understanding of market practices and gambling the guideline of regulations and strengthening mobilisation among all stakeholder groups, notably through partnerships formed with addiction specialists.
It represents more than 500 individuals and 850 institutions and services in the field of addiction. The Addiction Federation brings together 80% addiction treatment and prevention centers (CSAPA), and reception and assistance centres to reduce risk for drug users, (CAARUD), and 20% health systems.
The collaboration will be focused on various areas of intervention, such as:
- Studies, prevention support edition,
- Development of tools for players and addiction professionals.
- Design and implementation of training programs
- Organising events in conjunction is a good idea.
The ANJ will conduct joint training in 2024 with the Addiction Federation and they will publish a guide on gambling regulation for professionals who deal with addiction.
