Française des Jeux (FDJ), the operator of France’s national lottery, has penned a new agreement with the renowned soccer club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG). FDJ will leverage the team’s popularity to promote safer gambling.
The operator and its ParionsSport brand in particular have long enjoyed a healthy relationship with PSG. The new campaign will see FDJ use PSG imagery to send a message to French bettors, encouraging them to play responsibly.
In addition, the Ligue 1 club will help FDJ work to raise awareness of the alarming underage gambling rates in France. Recent studies show that minors regularly wager on sports and are oftentimes encouraged by their parents.
The main campaign will consist of two short videos featuring some of the fan-favorite Paris Saint-Germain players. Players such as Gianluigi Donnarumma, Hugo Ekitike, Kylian Mbappé, Nordi Mukiele, Neymar Jr, Danilo Pereira, Sergio Ramos, Renato Sanches and Vítor “Vitinha” Machado Ferreira will all be featured in the films.
The collaborative initiative between the operator and the soccer team is the first of its kind in France. The message of safer gambling will be promoted on social media and TV, which will help it reach millions of French citizens.
Both Parties Realize the Importance of Their Message
FDJ and PSG released statements on their new agreement. Richard Courtois, the director of sports activities and poker at Française des Jeux, said that he is very happy about this initiative. According to Courtois, the new agreement will allow FDJ to raise awareness of a subject that is very important to both the operator and the soccer club – responsible gambling.
According to Courtois, sports bets must remain a pleasurable leisure pastime that is uniquely reserved for adults. He said that he hopes the new campaign’s message would have an effect on French society, helping it suppress problem and underage gambling.
Cynthia Marcou, Paris Saint-Germain’s sponsorship director, also shared her thoughts. She emphasized that the club is very aware of the issue of problem gambling. One of the team’s core ethics is the prevention of high-risk gambling.
Marcou said that PSG is very happy to once again work beside FDJ’s ParionsSport brand and promote responsible behavior in sports wagering. She concluded that she hopes that the campaign will inspire all PSG fans and sports enthusiasts as a whole to make a difference.
In March, FDJ’s ParionsSports brands scooped a major three-year sponsorship agreement with the famed soccer club.