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// PUBLIC GAMING INTERNATIONAL // May/June 2016
LA MAROCAINE DES JEUX ET DES SPORTS (MDJS)
Created in 1962, the purpose of the company is the organization and operation, on
a national scale, of sport betting on competitions organized both within and outside of
Morocco (except horseracing and greyhound racing).
MDJS is run by a board that is headed by the Minister of Sports. The shareholders are
as follows: 90% Public treasury/10% Caisse de dépôt et de Gestion.
MDJS’ mission is to distribute 100% of its profits to the National Fund of Sports
Development (FNDS). These funds are intended to finance sports federations activities
and to support the top athletes in their preparation for international competitions. These
resources also finance many sports infrastructure projects, including grassroots infrastruc-
tures, such as Sports Social Centers, directed by public authorities.
In 2015, MDJS achieved a turnover of 1.847 billion dirhams (167 947 045 euros),
up 12.5% from 2014, of which 1.1 billion dirhams were distributed to the players. The
contribution to the FNDS in respect of 2015 amounted to 302.9 million dirhams (27
606 306 euros), up 18% compared to 2014.
On top of all the taxes paid to the state budget, MDJS’ funding represents more than
20% of the Ministry of Youth and Sports’ overall budget.
MDJS is a pioneer in terms of sports betting and governance:
• The 1st African lottery to obtain the highest level of the WLA’s Responsible Gaming
Certificate (2013).
• The 1st African lottery to obtain the WLA Security Control Standard Certificate (2013).
• Member of the WLA’s CSR and Security Committees.
• Obtained the Corporate Social Responsibility certification from the Confederation of
Moroccan Companies (2014).
• First lottery in Africa to launch:
– Fixed odds sports betting (2005)
– Online sports betting (2011)
• First lottery in Morocco to conform to the personal data protection law (2011)
• MDJS has an inclusive sports sponsoring strategy, with actions in favor of:
– Rural and poor neighborhoods
– Women, disabled people, and people of all generations
DESCRIPTION OF THE AFRICAN LOTTERIES ASSOCIATION (ALA)
Created on December 3rd, 1983 in Dakar, the ALA counts 21 members, with the
following objectives:
• Encourage mutual assistance on a technical and educational level
• Participate in the integration of the African economy through the institution of pan-
African games
hance the retail experience we are working
towards the upgrade of our POS.
Do you market Instants to your sports-betting
players and vice-versa? Are they sold in the
same venues/POS’s?
Y. El Mechrafi:
Yes. All the products
are available in all our POS.
Are your land-based venues required to pur-
chase dedicated terminals to process sports-
betting and Instants transactions?
Y. El Mechrafi:
Our central system re-
quires dedicated terminals to process gam-
ing. However all the equipment is offered
to the retailers free of charge.
How does the Moroccan socio-economic pro-
file compare to the rest of Africa and to West-
ern Europe? Do technological trends mirror
Western Europe or Africa ?
Y. El Mechrafi:
There are both simi-
larities and differences that reflect the
cultural background and the financial
performance. Morocco stands in between
the rest of Africa and the rest of Europe
quickly following the trends of the latter.
Technological trends mirror Western Eu-
rope. However, implementation and us-
ages on a daily basis takes more time.
How do the trend-lines of consumer behavior
in general, and play-style behaviours in par-
ticular, differ between Morocco and Africa
and Western Europe?
Y. El Mechrafi:
They are quite similar
but there are always some differences due
to culture.
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Continued on page 43TOTAL REVENUES IN EURO’s
(1 Euro = 11 dirhams)