French Casino Operator JOA Group Praised by European Casino Association

Posted on: April 12, 2022, 05:37h. 

Last updated on: April 13, 2022, 01:43h.

Erik Gibbs Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

Responsible gaming is a hot-button topic around the globe right now. JOA Group, which operates casinos across France, is the first operator in the country to be recognized for answering the call in all of its properties.

JOA casino
A JOA casino in Montrond-les-Bains, France. The casino operator is the first in France to be recognized by the ECA for its responsible gaming efforts. (Image: GamblersArea)

Operators will no longer be free to allow their customers to gamble for 28 hours straight without repercussions. Betting limits, time limits, and other measures are surfacing to reduce gambling harm. The JOA Group, a French casino operator, doesn’t need much prodding to comply with established guidelines.

The JOA Group has 33 casinos scattered across the French landscape. All of them are more than successful at following responsible gambling measures without intervention. This is what Global Gambling Guidance Group (G4) discovered after a recent audit of the company’s operations.

Top of Its Game

Last month, G4 determined that all of the properties adhere to the standards laid out by the European Casino Association’s (ECA) Responsible Gambling Framework. This makes JOA the first casino operator in France to ever receive such acknowledgment. It also led to JOA becoming an ECA-certified company.

Being in constant progress is one of our key values. Entering a certification process corresponded to our values, and our internal teams quickly mobilized towards achieving this goal,” said Pauline Boyer-Martin, Marketing Director and General Manager of Operations, in a statement.

Last December, Germany’s Spielbanken Niedersachsen and its 10 casinos received the certification. However, having 33 venues all conducting themselves in accordance with established guidelines is a much larger achievement.

ECA on a Mission

The ECA has been growing consistently since its inauguration three decades ago. It represents casino operators and gaming associations across the European Union, as well as beyond. The organization’s charter is to further the promotion of operators’ activities in line with the goals of policymakers and company stakeholders.

In 2013, according to its website, the ECA created responsible gaming measures that its members still use today. This framework builds on the entity’s core principles, which include prevention of problem gambling, employee training, quality assurance of processes and measures implemented, and other tenets.

In addition to focusing on responsible gaming, the ECA works to combat illegal gambling. Its program now represents more than 150 licensed operators in Europe and provides €35 billion (US$27.15 billion) a year to support different efforts focused on reducing illegal gambling.

Next month, the ECA will hold the European Dealer Championship, a competition for card dealers from around Europe. The event will occur at Casino de Monte-Carlo in Monaco from May 16-18, after a two-year hiatus because of COVID-19.