Containment and risk of gambling addiction: ARJEL’s advice to retain control over your game

In this period of containment, the offer of sports and horse betting is extremely limited. As a result, ARJEL notes that players tend to refer massively to poker, which even attracts new players. Other players might be tempted to play on the illegal offer which continues to offer some bets but mainly casino games (slot machines). Echoing operators’ initiatives in the area of responsible gambling, ARJEL remains particularly attentive to the risks of excessive gambling and advices players to keep control of their gambling so that it remains a recreational leisure activity.

ONLINE POKER

For several weeks now, ARJEL has observed that poker is attracting more players and in particular new players, a more intensive practice and a GGR (Gross Gaming Revenue) which has increased significantly in recent weeks.

This significant increase of online poker has led ARJEL to call on operators to be very vigilant. As such, operators should not multiply incentives to gambling by bonuses. Moreover, they must be particularly vigilant with players whose behaviour could reveal a loss of control and approach them to provide them with prevention advice. Licensed online poker operators offer poker players ways to stay in a recreational game.

The player can do this on the online poker website:

➢ Set his limits in terms of deposit on his account and the limit in terms of stake for each gambling action

➢ Set a limit on his playing time with some online poker operators. This option will soon be extended to all poker operators

➢ Exclude themselves for a limited period of time when they feel they are losing control of their game.

ARJEL’S TIPS FOR KEEPING THE GAME AS A LEISURE ACTIVITY

To control your game, you have to:

➢ Set a budget and stick to it

➢ Set a time limit

➢ Alternate leisure activities

➢ Accepting losses and knowing when to stop. Don’t try to “make it up”

➢ Don’t overestimate your expertise

➢ Take regular breaks to take a step back

➢ Know how to stop playing when you no longer enjoy it

Remember that :

➢ You don’t make a living from gambling

➢ It is not because you won at the beginning that you are stronger than chance. Gambling is always based on chance

➢ Chance is present in sports competitions, poker and even more so in lotteries.

EXISTING TOOLS AND SUPPORT RESOURCES

EVALUJEU

In order to evaluate its gambling practice, ARJEL offers on EVALUJEU site an anonymous test and adapted advice.

https://www.evalujeu.fr/static/

Help organizations

If gamblers feel that they are in difficulty with gambling or if they have questions about their practice, there are specialized organizations to answer their questions or those of their entourage, and to accompany them if necessary.

Joueurs Info Service, the national information and prevention service on drugs and addictions, answers by chat, by telephone.

SOS joueurs, a non-profit association that offers psychological, legal and social support to players and their families.

ILLEGAL OFFER

The feeling of boredom caused by the containment and the suspension of the majority of sports competitions could encourage some players to turn to the illegal offer.

ARJEL recalls that no site offering casino games and slot machines is legal in France. Many players who visit these illegal websites never get their winnings paid and are not protected if they lose control of their game. It is also possible that some of the sports competitions offered for betting may in fact be fake competitions.

The greatest caution is needed with online slot machines, which are among the most addictive games available.

To be protected, players must play on ARJEL-approved websites, a list of which can be found here:

https://www.arjel.fr/-Liste-des-operateurs-agrees-.html.