Addicted to video games? Addicted to sport? Addicted to the food? Addicted to gambling? This is the conference program organized by the centre of gambling taking place in Nantes from 6^th to 8^th of October 2010.  The hospital of Nantes (self proclaimed Reference Centre on Problem Gambling) treats for a lot of addictions. And we have to give some work to the doctors who have a speciality in the addiction. The Centre has also to spend millions of Euros offered by the FDJ (French Gambling games) and by the PMU too. The funding (and the curious political circumstances in which it was decided) leads indeed a “conflict of interest in the game world” as stated the journalist Claire Legros. We have often denounced the scandalous conflict of interest but our words have rarely been taken up by the national press or the regional one which used to receive the publicity of the FDJ.

So, a few million of Euros to resolve the issue (very sensitive question for the FDJ, historic monopoly in France) of Game disease pathology is a boon for the University Hospital of Nantes, but it is nothing for the FDJ which had made 10 billion of turnover in 2009 and has invested 25 million Euros to launch Amigo, a “new” drawing game almost permanent

And this is where we observe the omnipotence of the FDJ and its CEO Christophe Blanchard Dignac who could have as an emblem: “They believe they can do whatever they want and do whatever they want!” A few days after launching Amigo in Lille (in a very playful place, is the argument advanced by the CEO, but also a region with high unemployment and economic problems), the FDJ is funding a conference on the game addiction. The director of Nantes hospital in its presentation brochure doesn’t specify how much they receive from the 2 protagonist but mentions about the French game and the PMU, “They support our action,” “The game industry are present to share on the initiatives implemented for the benefit of the protection of consumers’

For several months the FDJ and C Blanchard Dignac systematically practice double standards and contradictory discourse with a shocking naiveté. But because the press is controlling by important lobbying, it works. The press (which has often advertised through FDJ) is often simply repeating what the AFP (agency France Press) told them, which repeat themselves many self-serving statements of the FDJ and the (subjective) truth of its CEO

The FDJ has committed 25 million Euros to launch a game called Amigo. This game is a draw game with high frequent draw, more than the Rapido and with a bigger jackpot. It’s good to boost its sales and attract more and more customers (especially young people and women says quietly Christophe Blanchard Dignac) But at the same time the CEO with the complicity of the press (such as France-Soir, and the entire regional press) is saying a nice speech about responsible gaming, fighting against addiction and even the fact that bars close. Amigo is less addictive than Rapido and more friendly said the CEO of FDJ.