French gambling regulator proposes suggestions for responsible gambling during lockdown
Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, nearly 150,000 confirmed cases in France, with a total of more than 15,000 deaths. Because the epidemic has not yet been completely controlled, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the lockdown of the city to extend to May 11, 2020 local time. ARJEL, the country’s gambling regulator, pointed out that due to the successive suspension or delay of sports events and horse racing activities, many players have been attracted to poker and casino games on unlicensed websites.
The agency emphasized that operators should take proactive action in responsible gambling. It still pays special attention to the risks caused by excessive gambling, and recommends that players maintain control over gambling activities, making it a leisure and entertainment activity. At the same time, ARJEL does not encourage operators to use bonuses to attract new players to play poker. The reason is that the motivation for engaging in gambling activities is now sufficient, and operators do not need to pour oil on the fire. In addition, the agency also called on operators to maintain a high degree of vigilance to identify when players have signs of problem gambling.
For consumers, ARJEL encourages them to set limits for deposits, bets and gambling time. If the player feels that he has lost the ability to control, he can join the self-exclusion plan. In addition, the agency also encourages players to plan their budgets, engage in leisure activities other than gambling, take regular breaks, and avoid continuing betting to earn back the money. At the same time, it also warns players to avoid betting on unlicensed online casinos that offer non-poker games. It also added that the boredom caused by the suspension or cancellation of most sporting events may encourage some players to turn to illegal websites. In France, there is no legal website for casino games and slot machines.
ARJEL also pointed out that many players who visit these illegal online casinos can never receive the bonuses. And if they lose their ability to control themselves, they will not be protected. It emphasizes that slot games, especially considering the unauthorized ones, need to be faced with more caution. Because this type of product is one of the most addictive games. In the future, ARJEL will be replaced by ANJ, which has jurisdiction over every gambling area in the country.
