France has a robust gambling regulation system designed to protect players’ rights, ensure market transparency, and combat gambling addiction. The country categorizes gambling into four main sectors: lotteries, sports betting, horse racing betting, and casinos. Since 2010, France has reformed its approach to online gambling, opening the market to competition under new, clear regulations.
These changes have fueled market growth. According to the French Court of Auditors, the total amount wagered in 2021 reached €43.2 billion, while gross gambling revenue was €10.7 billion, rising to €12.9 billion in 2022, according to a study conducted by the Responsible Gaming Center (RGC) with assistance from Slots City.
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Growth of online gambling and regulatory reform
Online gambling, particularly in the sports betting segment, continues to grow. To strengthen oversight and consumer protection, France established the National Gambling Authority (ANJ) in 2019, replacing the previous regulatory body with expanded authority over online gambling.
ANJ’s responsibilities align with four key public policy goals:
- Preventing excessive and pathological gambling, and protecting minors.
- Ensuring fairness, transparency, and integrity in gaming operations.
- Combating fraud, money laundering, and terrorist financing.
- Promoting balanced growth across various gambling sectors to prevent economic destabilization.
Measures to combat gambling addiction
To fight gambling addiction, ANJ has implemented several administrative measures, requiring companies to align their advertising campaigns and gambling software with regulatory standards.
ANJ has outlined several signs of potential gambling addiction:
- After losing, a player immediately tries to win back their money.
- The player becomes isolated from family and friends due to their gambling habits.
- The player borrows money to continue gambling, which leads to financial difficulties.
- Gambling consumes the player’s thoughts, and they feel anxious or distressed when they can’t play.
- The player is unable to stop playing and may become aggressive if forced to quit.
- The player no longer enjoys the game, worrying instead about losses and feeling unable to stop.
- The player is overly confident in their chances of winning, believing in their expertise in sports or horse racing.
- The player exhibits aggressive behavior towards professional athletes, which can resemble stalking.
Despite these indicators, there are no clear legal criteria for identifying “problem” players, complicating efforts to combat addiction. To improve its effectiveness, the government regularly updates administrative measures. If you found this publication helpful and interesting, we recommend subscribing to our breaking gambling news to receive notifications about the latest updates and stay informed about current events.
