A French person plays 242 euros on average per year. This figure, given by the French Observatory of Drugs and Addictive Tendencies (OFDT), includes tickets purchased from time to time but also the sums spent by big players. Today, there are around 1.4 million problem gamblers, including 400,000 pathological gamblers in France. “The recreational player becomes a pathological player because of a loss of control, often linked to pathological fragility (separation, unemployment, etc.)reveals Célia Magras, director of the Crésus research center. Players seek adrenaline, to escape their emotions or to socialize“.
And their addiction has a real impact on their loved ones, who become collateral victims: it is estimated that for one excessive gambler, six people are economically impacted.
Solutions to play less
If the people concerned have identified their addiction, there are solutions to help them gamble less. Legal platforms offer the possibility of temporarily self-excluding, from 24 hours to 12 months, or of capping stakes and deposits irreversibly. Gamban, stop-play, Playscan and Quitzilla are applications to help manage playing time and consumption.
Then, the Voluntary Gaming Ban (IVJ), managed by the National Gaming Authority (ANJ), allows you to request to be prohibited from entering casinos and gaming clubs, from accessing an online gaming site approved by the ANJ and from accessing games from Française des jeux and PMU made with a player account. This measure takes effect for a minimum of three years and can be requested at interdictiondejeux.anj.fr.
The banking game
On the banking side, a specific banking offer allows people in financially fragile situations to limit the risks of incidents and costs in the event of a payment incident. Some establishments even offer an option to block gaming operators. For the moment, in France, this is only the case for Revolut. “Banking institutions are rather spectators of the situation of their affected customers, which is worsening, without necessarily having tools at hand», analyzes Jean-Louis Kiehl, president of the French federation of Crésus associations.
Managing addiction and debt
If entrusting the management of bank accounts to a trusted third party can be a good option to avoid being bankrupt, it is advisable to seek support from professionals. Addictology Care, Support and Prevention Centers (SAPA) are free and anonymous public structures in which doctors, psychiatrists and specialized social workers work.
There are also dedicated support groups, which help break isolation and shame through the sharing of experiences between peers. Finally, if the debt is too heavy, French law offers protection via the Banque de France: an over-indebtedness commission can freeze debts, reschedule payments or simply wipe the slate clean.
