Despite the ban on the sale of gambling and games of chance to minors in tobacconists and on the internet, more than a third of them gamble, with risky practices for a growing proportion of these young people, reveals investigation.
Commissioned by the National Gaming Authority (ANJ) from the Sedap association (Society for mutual aid and psychological action), this survey of 5,000 young people aged 15 to 17 reveals that 34.8% of them were players in 2021, from the age of 13.3 on average, a practice “a little more marked among boys” and “widespread in all socio-cultural circles”.
Although the protection of minors is a public health priority, the share of so-called “problematic” gamblers – that is to say at either moderate or excessive risk of losing control of their practice – among young 15 to 17 has more than tripled: from 11% in 2014 to 34.8% last year.
Relative to the general population, this represents more than one in ten young French people (12.1%) aged 15 to 17.
Among the players surveyed, fans of lottery or draw games have few risky behaviors, while “excessive” players already play various online games, legal or illegal: slot machines or online casino games, betting on esport competitions -prohibited in France-, financial bets, poker…
These problem gamblers report “going back (to play) another day to recover”, “betting more money” than they could “afford to lose” and “needing to bet more and more money” to have the same excitement”.
They “sold something or borrowed something to get the money to gamble” and the game caused them “health problems including stress or anxiety”, even “financial difficulties”.
– “Overwhelmed” by advertising –
And while advertising encourages many young people to play, some say they are “overwhelmed” by advertising spots and sponsored content from Winamax, la Française des jeux (Loto, Euromillion, Illiko, Parions Sport) followed by those from Betclic, PMU, Zebet and Poker Stars, especially on Snapchat, Instagram or Twitch, music apps or phone games.
A “massive use of influencers – forecasters, reality TV influencers, rappers”, promotes prediction sites or sports betting sites such as Winamax, Betclic, Unibet, Vbet, Zebet.
This hype reinforces the beliefs of young people around earnings: “It allows me to imagine what I could buy with my earnings”, they say.
Seven out of ten young people know that the sale of gambling is prohibited to them, but more than half find it “very or fairly easy” to play scratch cards, participate in raffles or bet on sports betting at a tobacconist. , yet required to verify that their customers are adults.
Among young players, 45.7% play with their mother and 35.7% with their father.
However, “the earlier the game of money and chance is, the greater the risk of addiction”, underlines Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin, president of the National Gaming Authority (ANJ), a body which asked operators at the end of January authorized gambling establishments to strengthen the protection of minors.
“They must provide parental control software, reinforce information on the ban on minors, on all game and communication media, as well as their identity control devices.
The FDJ in particular must further strengthen the controls of its points of sale and provide for stricter sanctions as soon as the first breaches are observed”, affirms Morgane Austruy, in charge of the protection of minors at the ANJ.
On Wednesday the FDJ promised 2,000 checks this year and “sanctions” for “retailers caught in the act”: they will see their approval suspended for “15 days”, announced its CEO Stéphane Pallez.
The ANJ must soon publish guidelines to regulate the advertising practices of gambling operators.
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