Lotteries at the Heart of European Sports

Mr Pirmin Zurbriggen, Olympic Gold Medalist, Alpine Skiing

With help from Loterie Romande we were able to build our project and give a chance to our teenagers to practise sports in a good environment using a reliable company. We can teach our kids how to reach their goals and create new enthusiasm for snow sports in the population. We can develop new ambassadors of snow sports & winter tourism. We can increase the value of junior competitions: we teach the meaning of respect, integrity, passion, team spirit, work, effort, perseverance, fighting spirit, values and humility; managing defeat and disappointment.

All of this contributes to the education of young people, which will serve them all along their sporting careers and, in a broader perspective, in their personal lives as men and women. To become a champion, you need talent, hard work, training, and financial support.

With sports betting and lottery games, everyone is in a winning situation, in particular young athletes, because sports are supported with lottery profits. Everywhere in Switzerland, the youth takes advantage of it. Loterie Romande believes in young athletes and, by supporting them, hopes to make their dreams come true and celebrate as many medals and records as possible.

Mr Gianni Merlo, President of Association Internationale de la Presse Sportive

Illegal betting is not just a juridical problem, but also a social one – and thus a problem of the whole society. Sports unite the young people of the world and we need to guarantee a future for them. We must not belittle or conceal the problems. Such an attitude is like cancer which we need to remove as soon as we can; for that, we need cooperation.

Mr Risto Nieminen, CEO of Veikkaus, President of EL Sports, WLA President

The future of sports is in our hands. It is great to see top athletes like Pirmin Zurbriggen, who devote themselves to young people’s sports. The real value of sports is their social value. Right now, there are dangerous things going on in sports, and we’re living in crucial times. However, luckily there are people and organizations that are ready for sacrifices for the benefit of true sports.  Sports cannot survive in Europe without the money from lotteries.

Mr Jean-Francois Vilotte, ARJEL President France

Sports betting cannot be operated successfully without the organizations’ own rules, legislation, penalties, and monitoring. National legislation alone is not enough in the fight against illegal betting. We need international cooperation.

Mr Hein Verbruggen, President of SportAccord

Sports used to be competition. Now they’re more like a game. They are a contribution to society. When sports meet challenges, they are society’s challenges at the same time.  The contribution that lotteries make to sports is a contribution to society. We now need debate over the values in society.