Stéphane Pallez, CEO and President of Française des Jeux (FDJ), has emphasised the importance of 85 years of solidarity from the national lottery in France and its contributions to national wealth annually – in 2019, EUR 3.9 billion went to state budget, including support to specific actions such as sport events and national heritage.
Speaking at a European Lotteries webinar to discuss the role of national lotteries for the benefit of European society last week, Pallez said the current pandemic gave lotteries a chance to shine.
‘‘Lotteries act for society!” she said. “The Covid-19 pandemic has given us the opportunity to showcase our solidarity once again. Special measures taken during this difficult time have given us the momentum to reinforce our commitments and complete our “raison d’être”, aiming at including in its bylaws the company’s purpose for the benefit of society.
“FDJ has taken several priority measures to protect players and retailers during the pandemic, such as helping and providing masks to our retailers still open during the lockdown, adapting our responsible gaming messages and suspending some lottery products not consistent with health and sanitary rules and providing masks to retailers.”
Dedicated initiatives have directly supported the health care sector for example, donations of time off by FDJ employees to reduce costs and support hospitals, as well as assistance to Associations such as Secours Populaire Français to support the delivering of daily essential supplies to the elderly in their homes.
Pallez’s remarks echoed the opening comments made by the moderator of the panel, Euopean Lotteries Secretary General Arjan van ‘t Veer who highlighted the importance of national lotteries as a sustainable and fundamental source of income to support good causes in Europe.
National lotteries in Europe have traditionally played an important role in financially supporting their communities. They have proven to work successfully for generations to protect their players and provide a consistent source of financing for the benefit of society. Without national lotteries, European society, culture, and welfare would be 21 billion EUR poorer, as they directly support valuable projects related to sport, science, education, art, and vulnerable individuals with disabilities.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, lotteries have continued to fulfil their core values of responsibility, sustainability, and integrity by supporting communities throughout this difficult time. Campaigns have been adapted to aid the healthcare sector, for example with the funding of medical equipment, as well as delivering daily essential supplies to care homes and creating emergency funds.
Mario Musa, CEO of Hrvatska Lutrija, outlined that benefiting society is inherent in each lottery game and in Croatia, recent research has shown that players are aware, and support this. In its 47 years of existence, Hrvatska Lutrija has secured 2,6 billion HRK for a wide range of projects including for example, the Croatian Olympic Centre, Tesla Memorial Centre, and the Croatian Red Cross.
Musa added: ‘‘To emphasis the important role of our lottery, as our slogan said during the 2018 World Cup, little nation, big dreams!’
“It is important to find the right balance between economic interest and responsibility towards the players which is crucial in the lottery sector. Our dedication to consumer protection and corporate social responsibility sets us apart from private commercial operators, and we are happy that our players are aware of that.”
During Covid-19, the Croatian lottery has used this period to incite positive regulatory changes in the country, most notably with regard to problem gambling and consumer protection, recently funding research on the topic. March was a particularly difficult time for Hrvatska Lutrija as Zagreb was hit by an earthquake. The Board and many employees spared a percentage of their salaries and donated them to the fund dedicated to reconstruction of the city.
