France’s gambling regulator ANJ (L’Autorité Nationale des Jeux) is taking a victory lap for what it calls “significant progress” in reducing problem gambling, iGaming Business reported April 10.
For five years French gambling operators have been required to submit an annual plan to fight excessive gambling and gambling by minors. The regulator reviews the plan and helps guide it through increased dialogue.
In its 2024-26 strategic plan ANJ said the market has made measurable strides in preventing excessive gambling through messages to players and through dashboards.
Numbers of at-risk players identified and given support have increased. So have the identification of vulnerable and at-risk players.
Nevertheless, ANJ argues for redoubling efforts, pointing out that there are 1.4 million players in the country who are at risk, with nearly 400,000 being at a pathological level. It criticizes casinos, gaming clubs and racetracks for not doing enough. And for seemingly resting on their laurels and not showing an increase in progress or changing their requirements significantly since 2023.
The strategic plan called for reducing excessive gambling and protecting youth. ANJ requires operators to detect and intervene early on with diverse support measures. Operators are required to assess risk before making market offers and take “ad-hoc measures to limit these risks.”
It emphasizes that operators must control the sale of gambling products to minors at the point of sale.
The regulator is calling for increased vigilance as summer approaches with sports events including the Olympic Games and Euro 2024.
On a brighter note, ANJ has lauded the sector for its “upward compliance trajectory” fighting anti-money laundering and anti-fraud but has added even more protection standards for them to follow. It declared that problem gambling “still occupies too large a place” in the sector and has called on operators to propose “new robust system for identifying and supporting excessive or pathological gamblers at points of sale.”
