France’s unified gambling regulatory agency, Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), has moved to significantly reinforce its research and understanding of gambling addiction and disorders forming a working accord with OFDT (French Observatory for Drugs and Drug Addiction).
The two agencies will work together on projects examining the ‘complex phenomena of gambling addiction’ and how to expand the treatment of gambling disorders across France’s public health networks.
ANJ President Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin stated that OFDT’s input would be a vital component in how the agency will choose to regulate French gambling which must ‘maintain gambling in a sustainable perspective and as a recreational pursuit’.
Agreed upon by Falque-Pierrotin and counterpart Julien Morel D’Arleux, President of the OFDT, the agencies have begun work on a three-year accord focusing on the initial research and policy areas to:
- Articulate actions to better support the holders of exclusive rights in the implementation of their obligation to donate 0.002% of their stakes to the financing of scientific studies on gambling and gambling addictions
- Share expertise in the JAH sector to regularly provide studies and research in the service of a recreational game;
- Share data and knowledge relating to ADHD and the mechanisms associated with addiction and provide reciprocal support to promote research relating to gambling behaviour and the dissemination of scientific publications on this subject.
Before establishing its working accord with OFDT, the ANJ published a framework agreement for a scientific research partner in its ‘Action Plan’ detailing the agency’s regulatory objectives for 2021-to-2022, serving a French gambling’s new regulatory unit.
The agency said in its statement: “The ANJ may, as necessary, involve the OFDT in its work and, in particular, invite it to participate in the work of the advisory committee on the prevention of excessive gambling. It may also be invited to the work of the scientific college of the OFDT on subjects concerning gambling and the addiction phenomena they produce.”