ARPEJ - SOS JOUEURS : Association de Recherche et de Prévention des Excès du Jeu

What ARPEJ - SOS JOUEURS : Association de Recherche et de Prévention des Excès du Jeu does

ARPEJ (Association de Recherche et de Prévention des Excès du Jeu), founded in September 2022 and headquartered in Paris, is a French nonprofit association (loi 1901) recognized as being of public interest. Operating as ARPEJ - SOS Joueurs, the organization runs three interconnected poles — Research, Development, Evaluation & Training; Prevention and Partnerships; and Remote Support (SOS Joueurs) — to address gambling-related harm in France. Its core offerings include the OPÉRA prevention program (delivered in-person and via OPÉRA en ligne on Microsoft Teams to youth aged 16–19, reaching over 50,000 young people and 18,000 intervention hours since April 2023 across 480+ establishments), the SELF 8-week online therapy program adapted from the Swedish Sustainable Interaction model, and the SOS Joueurs suite of free services (national helpline 09 69 39 55 12, chat, messaging, peer support groups, a self-assessment tool, a long-standing forum, and the StopJeu self-exclusion tool). All end-user services are provided free and confidentially.

The organization's research pole conducts five major national studies — ENJEU-Mineurs (minors), ELPHI (horse racing betting), REPERR (responsible gambling in physical venues), ENIGM (impact of significant wins), and CONPARE (parental knowledge) — with outputs in journals such as PLOS ONE and Addictive Behaviors. Revenue flows through the FD-RPEJ endowment fund via public subsidies (notably from the ANJ, the French gambling regulator), industry contributions (FDJ's Jeu Responsable program), donations, and project-based funding. Strategic partnerships with the FFTT (tennis table federation, 3,100 clubs), LFP/UNFP (professional football), and the Les Clés du Jeu consortium (with e-Enfance, FNEPE, and Université Toulouse – Jean Jaurès) underpin deployment. The team of 18 is led by Director General Emmanuel Benoit, with pole directors for Research (Marie-Line Tovar), Prevention and Partnerships (Sébastien Messager), and Remote Support (Georges Martinho), supported by a 12-ambassador regional network covering all French regions.

Name

ARPEJ - SOS JOUEURS : Association de Recherche et de Prévention des Excès du Jeu

Legal name

Association de Recherche et de Prévention des Excès du Jeu (ARPEJ)

Website

https://arpej.eu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ARPEJ - SOS Joueurs is a French nonprofit (founded 2022) that researches, prevents, and treats gambling addiction through three poles: the OPÉRA youth prevention program, the SOS Joueurs helpline/chat/messaging services, and the SELF online therapy program, all provided free to users across France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Gambling Addiction Prevention and Support Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Responsible Gambling (RG) Compliance & Player Protection (MPAEAOAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Responsible Gambling & Player Protection Solutions (MPAEACAJ)

Keywords

• Gambling addiction treatment
• Youth prevention programs
• Online therapy services
• Addiction research studies
• Responsible gambling support

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Fonds de Dotation Funding: The FD-RPEJ (Fonds de dotation pour la recherche et la prévention des excès du jeu) receives and manages mecénat, donations, subsidies, project funds, and service revenues to fund ARPEJ activities.
2. Public Subsidies: ARPEJ receives public funding through project-based subsidies, notably from the ANJ (Autorité nationale des jeux) for specific research and prevention studies.
3. FDJ Responsible Gaming Funding: Support from FDJ's Jeu Responsable program for the consortium 'Les Clés du Jeu' focused on youth prevention.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

ARPEJ is a French nonprofit association that provides free gambling addiction prevention, research and remote support services. It runs the OPÉRA educational prevention program for youth aged 16-19 (in-person and online via Microsoft Teams), the SOS Joueurs distance support services (national helpline, online chat, messaging, peer groups, self-assessment, forum), the SELF 8-week online therapy program, the StopJeu self-exclusion tool, and conducts national scientific studies on gambling practices (ENJEU-Mineurs, ELPHI, REPERR, ENIGM, CONPARE). All offerings are provided free of charge to players in difficulty, their families, and vulnerable youth across France through a 12-region ambassador network.

Product overview

ARPEJ (Association de Recherche et de Prévention des Excès du Jeu) operates as a three-pillar nonprofit organization focused on gambling harm reduction in France. Its core offerings consist of OPÉRA — a prevention education program (available in-person and via OPÉRA en ligne via Microsoft Teams) for youth aged 16–19 delivered through a national ambassador network — and a Recours Distanciel (distance support) suite comprising the SOS Joueurs telephone helpline, chat, online messaging, peer support groups, the SELF (Soin En Ligne Français) 8-week online therapy program adapted from the Swedish Sustainable Interaction model, a self-assessment tool, an online forum, and the StopJeu self-exclusion tool. The organization's Research, Development, Evaluation & Training pole conducts five major studies: ENJEU-Mineurs (minor gambling), ELPHI (horse racing betting), REPERR (responsible gambling in physical venues), ENIGM (significant wins), and CONPARE (parental knowledge). All services are free and confidential.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OPÉRA: Outil de Prévention Éducationnelle sur les Risques liés aux jeux d'Argent - An educational prevention tool on gambling risks targeting youth aged 16-19.
• SOS Joueurs
• SELF
• ENJEU-Mineurs
• ENIGM
• ELPHI
• REPERR
• CONPARE

Products and services

• OPÉRA Prevention Program An educational prevention program on gambling risks for youth aged 16-19, delivered through 4 interactive activities over ~5 hours covering critical thinking, budget management, chance and probability demystification, and recognition of gambling-problem signs. Deployed free of charge nationally through a network of trained ambassadors in schools, CFA, lycées, sports clubs and youth organizations.
• OPÉRA en ligne Remote real-time version of the OPÉRA prevention program delivered via Microsoft Teams to youth aged 16-19 by ARPEJ ambassadors nationwide. Comprises 4 interactive activities of approximately 1 hour each (critical thinking, financial education, chance demystification, gambling-problem recognition), requiring a webcam-compatible device and stable internet. Minimum 9, maximum 20 participants per session.
• SELF (Soin En Ligne Français) Online Therapy Program An 8-week structured online treatment program for gambling addiction, adapted from the Swedish Sustainable Interaction model. Players follow self-assessment, an initial visio or telephone consultation with a qualified therapist, personalized tools (decision balances, gambling-practice journal, debt calculation), weekly therapist check-ins, a secure discussion forum, and post-program follow-up at 3, 6 and 12 months.
• SOS Joueurs Helpline A national telephone helpline (09 69 39 55 12) providing listening, guidance and advice to gamblers in difficulty and their families. Staffed by professional psychologists and gambling-addiction specialists, operating Monday to Friday 9h-20h. Free and confidential.
• SOS Joueurs Online Chat Real-time text-based online chat operated by professional psychologists for immediate, free and confidential support to gamblers in difficulty and their loved ones. Normal hours Monday to Friday 13h-20h, extended to 13h-midnight during FIFA World Cup 2026 match periods.
• SOS Joueurs Online Messaging Online messaging service that complements the telephone helpline, designed for younger users and those who prefer written digital communication. Responses provided by professional psychologists trained in gambling addiction, free, confidential, and paced to each user.
• SOS Joueurs Peer Support Groups (Groupes de parole) Weekly online peer support groups facilitated by a SOS Joueurs psychologist, bringing together current gamblers, former gamblers and their families via video conference from 19h weekly. Offered to players during their first consultation with SOS Joueurs.
• SOS Joueurs Self-Assessment Tool A 9-question online self-assessment tool that lets individuals evaluate their gambling habits and receive immediate indications about their level of addiction risk.
• SOS Joueurs Forum A long-standing interactive online forum providing a safe space for gamblers to share experiences and seek mutual support in addressing gambling addiction.
• StopJeu Self-Exclusion Tool A self-exclusion tool enabling gamblers in difficulty to block access to certain gambling websites, provided free of charge by SOS Joueurs teams.
• ENJEU-Mineurs Study A national study on gambling practices among French minors aged 15-17, conducted with support from the ANJ, tracking prevalence, problem-gambling rates, risk factors and trends over time.
• ELPHI Study (Étude sur Les Paris Hippiques) A study mapping horse racing betting in France during 2023-2024, combining online surveys with in-person interviews at PMU outlets and racecourses to describe sub-populations, practices, motivations, risk levels and contextual factors, with harm-reduction recommendations.
• REPERR Study Recherche sur la Prévention des Excès et la Réduction des Risques — a research project examining responsible gambling practices in physical gambling establishments (FDJ, PMU retail outlets and casinos), combining an international literature review with a quantitative survey of approximately 2,200 retailers and casino staff.
• ENIGM Study (Étude Nationale sur les Impacts des Gains Marquants) A national study investigating the impact of significant gambling wins on player behavior and problem-gambling risk, including the influence of other players' wins, advertising and online social media content, conducted across 2020-2023.
• CONPARE Study (CONnaissances Parentales des Effets des jeux d'argent) A 2025 qualitative study interviewing 36 parents of adolescents aged 13-17 to understand parental perceptions of gambling, their role in youth initiation and awareness of gambling risks, with the goal of developing parent-focused prevention tools.

Quantifiable outcome

• 50,000+ youth aged 16-19 reached through OPÉRA prevention program
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• FFTT (Fédération Française de Tennis de Table)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 June 2026First national federation to sign a partnership with ARPEJ. Cooperation aims to prevent gambling risks and raise awareness among young people. ARPEJ will deliver OPÉRA prevention workshops to licensed players aged 16-19 through 3,100 affiliated clubs. Information campaign planned for French championships and club materials starting new school year.
• Les Clés du Jeu ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 April 2026Two-year national collaborative project for information, prevention, and orientation on gambling among youth aged 13-25 and their families. Consortium includes ARPEJ (lead), e-Enfance, FNEPE, and Laboratoire CLLE (Université Toulouse – Jean Jaurès). Supported by FDJ Jeu Responsable. Will develop resource portal, digital content, awareness actions, and parent resources.
• LFP (Ligue de Football Professionnel)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 January 2026Partnership with UNFP and ARPEJ to strengthen gambling addiction prevention in professional football. ARPEJ delivers OPÉRA workshops in clubs for young players aged 16-19. Actions valued under License Club evaluation. Goal to protect players and preserve competition integrity.
• UNFP (Union Nationale des Footballeurs Professionnels)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 January 2026Partner in football prevention partnership with LFP and ARPEJ. Role includes information dissemination, player awareness, and orientation toward appropriate support services when needed.
• e-EnfanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Les Clés du Jeu consortium, bringing expertise in child/youth protection and online safety.
• FNEPEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Les Clés du Jeu consortium, contributing parent support and education expertise.
• Laboratoire CLLE (Université Toulouse – Jean Jaurès)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic research partner in Les Clés du Jeu consortium, providing scientific expertise and methodology.
• ANJ (Autorité Nationale des Jeux)minorOthersFrench gambling regulatory authority that supports ARPEJ research studies (ENJEU-Mineurs, REPERR) and participates in ARPEJ events (Rencontres de l'ANJ at Senate).
• FDJ (Française des Jeux)minorOthersExclusive rights operator whose retail partners (points de vente) are studied in REPERR research. Also funds Les Clés du Jeu consortium through Jeu Responsable program.
• PMU (Pari Mutuel Urbain)minorOthersExclusive rights operator for horse betting whose retail partners (13,500 points de vente) are studied in REPERR and ELPHI research.
• CRÉSUS (Associations de consumidores)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFinancial education association providing the Dilemme® budget education program used in OPÉRA activity 2, addressing financial management and gambling risk prevention.
• Japanese Government DelegationminorOthersGovernment-mandated delegation visited ARPEJ to learn about prevention and care actions related to excessive gambling behaviors, sharing expertise internationally.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• GamCare: UK-based charity providing the National Gambling Helpline, live chat, treatment, and education for problem gamblers. Directly comparable to SOS Joueurs as a national RG helpline + support provider with free, confidential services.
• Adictel: French helpline and addiction support service specializing in gambling, alcohol, and substance dependencies. A domestic French peer offering comparable helpline and remote support services for problem gamblers and families.
• National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG): US national nonprofit advocating for problem gambling services, operating the National Problem Gambling Helpline (1-800-GAMBLER). Comparable scope and advocacy mandate, with similar helpline + referral model.
• Responsible Gambling Council (RGC): Canadian independent non-profit dedicated to harm reduction in gambling through prevention, research, and responsible-gambling standards. Highly comparable as a multi-pillar RG organization with international credibility.
• SOS Spelproblem / Spelpaus.se: Swedish helpline and self-exclusion system for problem gamblers; source of the Sustainable Interaction therapy model that ARPEJ adapted into SELF. Directly comparable as a Nordic peer in helpline, self-exclusion, and online treatment.
• Gambling Therapy: Global online service offering free advice, live support, and counseling for problem gamblers. Directly comparable to ARPEJ's SOS Joueurs/SELF combination of online chat, messaging, and structured therapeutic support.
• Fédération Addiction: French federation of addiction-specialized organizations, where ARPEJ's Director General previously served as Administrator. Operates in French RG/addiction policy space with overlapping mission and leadership talent pool.
• GambleAware: UK independent charity commissioning research, education, and treatment services for gambling harm. Closely mirrors ARPEJ's three-pillar model (research, prevention, support) with similar operator-funding dependency.

Broad incumbents

• European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA): European trade association representing licensed online operators, running a pan-European RG pillar including self-exclusion standards and responsible-gambling frameworks. Comparable as an industry-coordinating RG entity, though industry-funded rather than independent.

Regional players

• Centre du Jeu Excessif (CJE): Swiss francophone center specializing in problem gambling treatment and prevention. Comparable mission and therapeutic orientation, serving a French-speaking neighboring market with similar regulatory context.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arpej-association-de-recherche-et-de-pr%C3%A9vention-des-exc%C3%A8s-des-jeux

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about ARPEJ - SOS JOUEURS : Association de Recherche et de Prévention des Excès du Jeu