L’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), France’s gaming regulatory body, has published what it calls the “working objectives” of a “three-year strategy” to overhaul the existing laws, standards and consumer protections of French gambling, reported EuropeanGaming.eu.
Through 2023, the agency says it will focus on “ensuring that players are protected from harms” across all gaming segments.
ANJ’s plan has been approved by its board, led by President Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin and other stakeholders. ANJ will establish “five key pillars” to ensure that licensed gambling activities provide a “significant return to French society” while ensuring public safety from gambling harms and addiction. The French Health Ministry estimates that around 1.4 million people in France fall into the problem-gambler category.
ANJ calls it a “growing public health issue” and has begun enforcing new player protections including mandatory deposit limits and customer interventions. It has also promised to develop a new regulatory system, allowing licensed incumbents to update its agency on technical updates, player incentives and platform enhancements.
“ANJ must integrate this culture of innovation and digital technology, both with respect to the players it regulates and internally, in its operating mode and tools,” the agency said.
The regulator has also emphasized the need for cross-border cooperation on anti-money laundering and minimizing criminal threats. At a European level, the ANJ stated that it wishes to play a “leading role in EU member state cooperation, building Europe’s new vision of gambling regulation.”
