The Sustainable Gambling Conference 2025 opened in Brussels with a clear message from Stéphane Pallez, Chairwoman and CEO of FDJ UNITED: the gaming industry must adapt responsibly to a rapidly changing world.
In her opening remarks, delivered in the heart of European policymaking, she welcomed stakeholders from across the continent and set the tone for a day centred on collaboration, transparency, and the shared responsibility of creating a safer gaming environment — reaffirming FDJ UNITED’s long-standing commitment to responsible gaming.
Throughout her remarks, Pallez underscored the importance of hosting the conference during European Safer Gambling Week, reinforcing FDJ UNITED’s long-standing commitment to player protection and open dialogue. She highlighted two major forces reshaping the sector — the rise of AI and the accelerating spread of illegal gaming — stressing that only coordinated action between regulators and legal operators can safeguard consumers effectively.
Pallez also addressed the growing influence of illegal gaming across Europe, describing it as one of the most significant threats to consumer safety and the integrity of regulated markets. She underlined the need for coordinated enforcement, clearer regulatory frameworks, and competitive conditions that enable licensed operators to remain both responsible and relevant. Ensuring that customers understand the risks of illegal gaming, she noted, is essential to guiding them toward safe, trusted environments.
She further emphasised the growing risks faced by minors and young adults online, pointing to FDJ UNITED’s proactive initiatives in France and Sweden, where education, expert partnerships, and early intervention help young people better understand the dangers of gaming.
Her comments doubled as a call to action: to acknowledge the realities of a shifting landscape, to take ownership of the industry’s impact, and to work together toward a sustainable, responsible future. As discussions unfold throughout the day, the theme of “safer gambling in a changing world” is not merely a headline — it is an invitation for every participant to lead with purpose.
In the end, creating safer gaming in a changing world requires shared responsibility — from operators, regulators, and society as a whole.
