The objective of the event is to share experiences and good practices among associations, lotteries and providers on corporate social responsibility and responsible gambling. In addition, it seeks to promote responsible gambling certification as a tool to improve the management and reputation of lotteries.
In welcoming the event, the president of the WLA, Rebecca Paul; the president of Cibelae, Javier Milián; and the vice president of Caixa, Edilson Carrogi Ribeiro Vianna, highlighted the importance of collaboration between associations and lotteries to share good practices in Corporate Social Responsibility and Responsible Gaming.
Participating in this segment were Rebecca Paul (President of the Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation, Director of the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries - NASPL, representing the WLA), Stepháne Pallez (CEO of La Française des Jeux - FDJ, representing European Lotteries), Younes El Mechrafi (CEO of Marocaine des Jeux – MDJ, representing the Association of African Lotteries – ALA) and Edilson Carrogi Ribeiro Vianna (Vice President of Caixa, representing Cibelae). The panel was moderated by Lynne Roiter, Secretary General of the WLA.
The panel of CEOs agreed that lottery strategies and business plans should be designed with the principles of Corporate Social Responsibility and Responsible Gaming at their core.
The level 4 certification in Responsible Gaming is the highest granted by the European Lotteries to lotteries that comply with quality standards and good practices in this area. Younes El Mechrafi explained how La Marocaine des Jeux achieved this recognition in 2012, after a process of internal and external transformation.
According to El Mechrafi, the key was to understand that Responsible Gaming is not a threat to business, but an opportunity to improve the reputation and trust of customers and society. To do this, they had the support and advice of the European Lotteries, which helped them implement the necessary measures to guarantee a safe, ethical and sustainable game.
Stepháne Pallez explained that at La Française des Jeux they have included corporate social responsibility and responsible gambling in their statutes, and their providers must follow these policies. In this way, the French lottery not only improves its competitiveness and added value, but also builds the loyalty of its interest groups and reduces the risks associated with gambling. Pallez also indicated that for European Lotteries it is so essential to comply with the Responsible Gaming policies that it only admits certified members.
Edilson Carrogi Ribeiro Vianna presented Loterias Caixa's strategy to promote responsible gambling among its customers and society in general. According to Vianna, responsible gambling is a commitment of all the players involved in the sector: the lottery, the points of sale, the suppliers, the strategic partners and the public opinion. To this end, Loterias Caixa has developed internal and external actions aimed at different audiences, in order to inform about the risks and benefits of gambling.
Among the actions highlighted by the vice president of the largest lottery in Brazil is the Responsible Gaming Week, an initiative that seeks to raise awareness among bettors about good gaming practices and offer them tools to prevent and treat potential problems. The last edition included educational, cultural and social activities throughout the country, as well as a communication campaign in digital and traditional media.
Finally, the president of the WLA, Rebecca Paul, presented key points for lotteries to develop and implement responsible gaming programs that serve as a guarantee of trust and transparency for the commercialization of products.
Among these points are: providing information about the risks and benefits of gambling, setting time and money limits for players, offering self-exclusion options and free assistance, working in conjunction with specialized organizations and regulatory authorities, and certifying their practices according to international standards.
Source: CIBELAE / GMB
