16 PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025 and burnout, by all kinds of addictions to alcohol, drugs and gaming, and by suicide. Young people suffer from this even more than older generations. Not only is this a tragedy for many of our children and grandchildren, but these phenomena also have an impact on the economy. A lack of mental health threatens to destroy much of our creativity, scientific and technical inventiveness, entrepreneurial spirit and innovation. After all, the best years for creativity are when you are under thirty years of age. We need these qualities now more than ever: due to the ageing population, the burden of social security and economic growth rests on the shoulders of an ever-shrinking proportion of the young population, of which a large number are struggling mentally. Economic growth will have to come mainly from an increase in productivity per hour and no longer from the employment of more people. But productivity requires creativity and a strong work ethic, and these suffer from a lack of mental health. Europe is not the only continent struggling with this. Russia, China, Japan and others face the same demographic and mental health problems. Did you know that China's population will be halved by the end of the century? From a purely economic point of view, migration could offer a solution, but irregular migration in particular is met with strong social resistance in almost all countries, both in the East and in the West. We must therefore do everything we can to make people stronger and more resilient. To achieve this, we need each other. Only people can help people. Together we are strong. Unity is strength. These are political slogans, but they are also true for a societal renaissance. This is not a matter for governments alone. Politics is in everything, but not everything is politics. I would like to take this opportunity, speaking for an audience of representatives of The European Lotteries (EL), to illustrate the role that lotteries play in strengthening precisely those interpersonal connections. Lotteries are not merely games of chance. From the first lottery in Bruges in 1441, it was not a purely commercial activity. The proceeds were used to achieve social and societal goals, to provide public goods where public means fell short. The paradox is that governments set up lotteries to help where the government itself falls short. The support from lotteries can involve poverty reduction, cultural needs, sport, youth work, care for the disabled, etc. Someone recently told me that without lotteries, there would no longer be any Olympic Games, and probably no Special Olympics or Paralympics either. And to my earlier points, lotteries strengthen precisely those interpersonal connections so vital to the restoration of a healthy social fabric. In Europe alone, revenues generated by lotteries amount to more than €22 billion annually. The Council of the European Union (EU) unanimously recognised the important social role of lotteries back in 2010. The case law of the Court of Justice also shows how lotteries are not only part of our cultural heritage but also an integral part of the European social fabric. In general, it is concern for the public interest that sets the limits on the freemarket economic competition model. Restrictions on gambling activities have been recognised by European case law since 1994. In the case of lotteries, and in addition to the motives of public order and consumer protection, preventing addiction and combating fraud and money laundering, it is also about the social approach to gambling and the social purpose of the funds. These specific aspects are not yet properly recognised as constitutive for the further development of a Union that is more than just an economic area. After all, it is ultimately about people's well-being and happiness, which sounds old-fashioned in a world of cut-throat competition. The government must also protect people and, in this case, combat illegal gambling. The law of the jungle should not be the only law. As in everything, there should of course be no over-protection of people that undermines their personal responsibility, but that is not usually the case today. National lotteries must be empowered to continue to play their social role. In my country, advertising spots have been appearing in the media for some time now, clearly showing the social needs that lottery funds help to solve. This positive impact, and the positive role model represented by lottery, is a breath of fresh air in the often brutal and noisy world we live in. The many players who participate in lottery games with small amounts who do not usually win, still know that they provide opportunities and perhaps also happiness for so many others. Maintaining this sustainable contribution of lotteries to society requires that the protection of players and the fight against crime be included in the European approach to regulation. The direct and indirect financing of good and important social causes also deserves recognition in the European discussions on future constitutional structures. After all, Europe is more than just an economic area. We need humanity and those societal values more than ever. In the EU, which endured two world wars in the last century, there have been eighty years of peace, mainly thanks to the Union of twenty-seven countries, which will soon have even more members. The feeling of powerlessness among many people in the face of violence and conflict has only reinforced the feeling that the EU is needed more than ever, because nation states are no longer able to provide the necessary protection. The Eurobarometer indicates that confidence in the EU is now at its highest level in almost twenty years. There is talk of Euroscepticism, but underneath there is a recognition of the 'Europe of necessity'. Amidst this emotionality, people still know where their interests and their future lie. That, too, is a sign of hope. European citizens do not want to choose between 'place' and 'space'. They cherish their home, their homeland, their place; but know that they need the 'space' of Europe. However, that trust in the EU must continue to be earned. The Union can only be strong and achieve results for its citizens if we are united. That unity is greater than many people think. Just a few examples: our joint European response in the form of vaccines, a huge economic recovery fund of 800 billion euros. Our joint response to Ukraine's request for all kinds of support is impressive. Sanctions against Russia require unanimity, and yet we are working on the 19th package of sanctions. Continued on page 39
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