The very notion of health pass, still unknown in France before its implementation a few months ago, is it invading fields other than the health sphere?
According to a tobacconist, this would already be the case in an unexpected field: that of scratch games. At least if we are to believe his rant pushed in a video, widely viewed and shared on social networks – often on accounts known for their opposition to the health pass or the anti-Covid-19 vaccine.
If the legend of original tweet wants to be concise (“La Française des Jeux creates a game on the Pass. Vincent, tobacconist, expresses his anger”), the testimony of the so-called Vincent turns out on the contrary to be particularly detailed.
“La Française des Jeux (FDJ) released a new scratch game about three weeks ago. This game is called the “Lucky Pass”, with a slogan that I find quite filthy: “the pass that could pay”. I was a little offended with them, and I was told “but no, the games were created a year before, and so it was planned for a very long time” “, he explains in the preamble. .
Then he continues: “Except that I had the launch plate of December 2020 and this game was called ‘Express’. So the Française des Jeux has surfed on the health pass to release a game by saying “my pass to me, at least, can bring in money then [que l’autre pass] restricts freedoms ” […] I called for a boycott […] and the response from La Française des Jeux was very fast, I received a formal notice asking me to withdraw all my private communications on the networks […] and threatens to withdraw my FDJ approval. I refused both. “
FAKE OFF
In October 2021, La Française des Jeux launched a new scratch game called “Lucky Pass”. This comes in the form a bank card and allows you to win up to 20,000 euros, as evidenced by its slogan: “the pass that could pay off”.
Joined by 20 minutes, the FDJ explains that, “for each of its new scratch games”, it “begins the creative work about a year and a half before marketing”: “Regarding the scratch game” Lucky Pass ” […], it debuted in the spring of 2020. As usual, the name of the game has been the subject of internal round-trips since that date, with the intention of making it match the universe of luck. “
A one-time game called “Money Pass”
A decision of the National Gaming Authority (ANJ) dated September 16, searchable online, shows that the request for approval of the rules of the game “Lucky Pass” was formulated by the FDJ in July 2021.
“The game has had different working names from October 2020, including the one mentioned,” Express “, but also, for example,” Money Pass “”, continues the FDJ, explaining that “the idea of the term” pass ” refers to the cards and means of contact present in the daily life of the French (credit card, transport card, culture card, etc.) ”and that“ the scratch game [« Lucky Pass »], its name, its commercial communications […] of course do not intend to make any link with health news. “
A reminder letter and measures taken against the tobacconist
On his Twitter and Facebook profiles, Vincent – who had not responded to our requests before the publication of the article – for his part well shared, in early October, a call to boycott this new game of the FDJ, while sharing the photo of an advert stuck on the promotional poster of the “Lucky Pass”, in his tobacconist, to inform customers that “this game of shame” would not be there not “marketed”.
La Française des Jeux acknowledges having taken “measures against this retailer for non-compliance with the contractual rules provided for in the FDJ approval contract. […] following a control visit of the point of sale carried out by FDJ which pointed out various shortcomings “, but affirms that they” are not related to the point of view “of the tobacconist on the” Lucky Pass “.
The FDJ also asked him, in a “letter of reminder to order” and “in accordance with the approval contract”, to remove his poster about the “Lucky Pass” “present on the FDJ furniture in point of sale. As well as the tweet about it.
For its part, the Confederation of tobacconists indicates to 20 minutes that it has “identified very few returns, if not none”, on the “Lucky Pass” within its network.