The Director General of the Moroccan Gaming and Sports Authority, Younes El Machrafi, has called for intensified awareness campaigns on the risks of illegal betting, warning of the growing prevalence of this issue and its direct targeting of youth and families, which leads to deep negative social and economic impacts.
During his speech at the International Forum on Sports held at the House of Representatives, El Machrafi emphasized that the Moroccan Gaming and Sports Authority adheres to a clear policy for responsible gaming and operates within a well-regulated institutional framework based on transparency and accountability. He highlighted that illegal betting incurs substantial losses to the sports sector and deprives the state of significant resources.
In this context, the official revealed the financial contributions of the institution, stating that contributions to the National Sports Development Fund (FNDS) and other contributions for the state reached 791 million dirhams in 2024, with an average annual growth rate of nearly 16% from 2010 to 2024.
He added that the sports lottery company has contributed, up to the end of 2024, a cumulative amount of approximately 8.8 billion dirhams for the state since 2010, along with additional contributions from taxes, fees, and solidarity funds, including the fund for managing the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Al Haouz earthquake, which totaled around 2.8 billion dirhams during the same period.
El Machrafi stressed that these figures reflect the vital economic and social role played by the Moroccan Gaming and Sports Authority in supporting national sports and financing socially impactful projects, calling for enhanced coordination among various stakeholders to combat illegal betting and protect the sports ecosystem from its negative repercussions.
