why sports betting is a must-see in Seine-Saint-Denis

SPORTS MARKS – “ Big bet, big loss, big hassle”. This slogan may remind you of something, but it sounds different, and that’s okay. Six days before the first game of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the department of Saint-Saint-Denis launched a campaign to prevent sports betting on Monday 14 November, primarily targeting young people from working-class neighbourhoods.

The department wants to create an impression by redirecting the codes used by sports betting operators in their advertising. So on bus shelters and campaign signs in Seine-Saint-Denis, ” Everything for daronne “turns” Return to Daron », « Big bet, big win, big respect “into” Big bet, big loss, big hassle “. Stories that are more connected to the reality of compulsive gamblers than the dreams that the operators want to sell in their pubs.

This initiative takes the department in front of a disturbing situation. Milli.Az reports that the National Gaming Authority (ANJ) released information about this Let it go, the World Cup in Qatar will be the most important sporting event for internet betting. While 72% of punters are between the ages of 18 and 35, almost half are under 26. And the age continues to decrease. According to ANJ, more than a third of 15- to 17-year-olds gamble, even though the practice is prohibited for minors. According to a study published in October by French Public Health, around fifteen out of 100 sports bettors are at risk of problematic exercise.

Suburban youth, perfect candidate

The vice-president responsible for solidarity and health of the Seine-Saint-Denis department gave an interview to Magali Thibaut. Let it go” sports bettors lost More than one billion euros in 2021 and according to the National Gaming Authority, only 27,500 out of a total of 4.5 million players won more than €1,000 in 2021.

” For the World Cup in Qatar, the National Gaming Authority has predicted an internet participation of at least 530 million euros, which is 70% more than in 2018. “, Magalie Thibault explains, adding:” In the end, it is always the player who loses and the company that makes money on his back. »

It is no accident that the operators choose young people from disadvantaged families as targets. Young people are more addicted to sports betting than adults, according to ANJ research. The National Game Authority takes the trend of arrests as an example. 16% of players ages 18-24 and 14% of players ages 25-34 say they felt a loss of control during their second arrest (compared to 2% of those 50 and older). And new players are even more affected by this sense of loss of control: a quarter of them say they have been in this situation during their second arrest.

gambling addiction, addiction “catastrophic”

According to the Observatory of Inequalities, “Approximately 60% of at-risk or pathological gamblers have a net monthly income of less than €1,100 and almost all have an education level at best equivalent to a bachelor’s degree”. Gamblers who engage in extreme or moderate risk gambling are usually young people from modest social backgrounds.

The height of cynicism that makes young people from the suburbs such good customers is precisely their willingness to pass. “These young people are often in difficult social situations, for example in families receiving RSA. It’s a dream to meet characters who earn thousands of euros with a few clicks on ads and get out of their situation.”is summarized by HuffPost Armelle Acour, psychologist and president of the SOS Joueur association. “But saying you can be rich, powerful, the best by betting in pubs, that’s not the right signals we’re sending.”, he warns. Especially since many of these young people still live with their parents and don’t necessarily understand the value of money.

Especially for these young players, it is very easy to get addicted to games. Adrenaline, competition between friends, socialization through games, tenfold emulation during matches, real personal stakes… Everything comes together for an addictive cocktail.

“For these young people, being in debt and addicted to gambling is disastrous. They thrive in a poor social environment and therefore cannot easily find money to “rehabilitate” themselves., Armelle Acour laments. Therefore, it is not unusual for some to resort to crimes such as theft or petty trading to save themselves.

Great loss, great shame, great depression

Another aspect of particular concern to the Union is the psychological impact. Armelle Achour explains: “We have many young people whose family values ​​are very strong. For some, gambling is forbidden because it is considered a sin. Still, for one reason or another, they fall into sports betting, become addicted and cannot escape.”.

The harsh reality of gambling addiction then emerges: the multiple sources of shame that overwhelm the addicted gambler. There is the shame of going against his family’s values, of losing his friends, of not being able to break free of his addiction, of being stuck in his addiction, and often of ending up stealing – sometimes his family or friends – so he can play more. According to our interlocutor, the pressures that can destroy these young people psychologically.

Moreover, such slogans are heard in these hyped advertisements that we are witnessing. “Big Coast, Big Profit, Big Respect”meaning that if the player loses, he will not deserve the respect of his peers.

Armelle Acour has seen young people addicted to it. Some in dramatic situations. “Addiction can cause them to lose everything: home, job, family, friends, partner. Addiction isolates them, reinforces their loneliness and makes them depressed. Some people sometimes attempt suicide. Others are not aware of their addiction and get deeper and deeper.”.

Unfortunately, a phenomenon that the 2022 World Cup is an encouraging risk.

See also The HuffPost: