The French gambling regulator, the ANJ (Autorite Nationale des Jeux), has made “significant progress” when reviewing operators’ plans of action.
All operators must now submit an annual action plan in France to combat “excessive gambling” and the underage gambler. The ANJ reviews these action plans. It is hoped that this will increase the dialogue between regulators and operators on the subject.
The ANJ noted that there has been a tangible progress in preventing excessive gaming. There have been actions taken to increase awareness.
The standards of protection for identifying and supporting problem gamblers have increased. There has been an increase in the number of players at risk who are identified, and supported. There has been an increase in the number of operators who implement improved support and exclude players identified as being most susceptible to commercial rewards.
France: problem gambling is still high
Despite the “substantial” progress, the ANJ stated that the problem of gambling was still prevalent. According to the ANJ, a study by 2021 Games Observatory estimated that 1.4 million French players were at risk of developing a gambling problem. Nearly 400,000 had a pathological condition.
French regulators highlighted their 2024-2026 strategy plan which prioritized the reduction of excessive gaming and protection of minors. The ANJ has called on operators to intensify efforts in order to identify problem gamblers and to support them.
ANJ instructed operators to detect early and take action. Diversifying support measures is also necessary to adjust them according to the risk level. Operators are also expected to carry out a risk analysis before marketing their offers.
The ANJ stated also that La Francaise des Jeux, which has exclusive rights to retail and lottery betting in France as well as Pari-Mutuel Urbain, its equivalent horse racing Pari-Mutuel Urbain must tighten up their control over points of sales to comply with the prohibition on selling to minors.
The ANJ reminded operators that they should be more vigilant about problem gambling, and especially minors. This is in preparation for the summer sporting events including Euro 2024 as well as the Olympic Games which will take place at Paris.
The ANJ stated that gambling operators have taken steps to stop minors from trying to get around the age restriction.
ANJ urges casinos and racetracks to be more responsible
The ANJ noted that while approved operators and monopoly companies had made progress in promoting responsible gambling, efforts by casinos, racing clubs, and gaming clubs coordinated by the National Horse Racing Federation were stagnant.
The ANJ reports that casinos and gaming club made EUR2.7bn in 2023 (PS2.31bn/$2.93bn). In 2023, 74% more casinos reported higher GGR (gross gaming revenue) than they did in 2019.
According to the ANJ, there is heterogeneity among casinos and gambling clubs in terms of compliance. Some establishments have shown regular improvement, while others are barely changed since 2021.
ANJ has approved the majority of action plans but not those from two gaming clubs and casinos. The ANJ provided a guide to help all businesses improve.
The FNCH also criticized racing companies that are under its supervision. The requirements of the racing companies have not changed since 2023, due to the low level of implementation in relation to “insufficient identification” and support for problem gamblers.
