l’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) France’s unified gambling regulatory agency has moved to significantly bolster its research and understanding of gambling addiction and disorders forming a working accord with OFDT – the 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 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:
- Devise and implement a French gambling disorders R&D network, which will be funded by 0.002% of stakes generated by all ANJ licensed incumbents – ‘financing of scientific studies on gambling and gambling addictions’.
- Co-share expertise with regards to governing the high-risk elements of gambling, its products and business services in order to maintain gambling as a recreational pursuit.
- Establish joint projects evaluating the ADHD and further phycological factors of gambling disorders, to provide vital knowledge resources for stakeholders working in academia, public policy, policing, criminality and public health.
Prior to establishing its working accord with OFDT, the ANJ had 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 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,” The ANJ detailed in its statement.