French gambling regulator proposes whistle-to-whistle ban on gambling ads

The ANJ also proposes new loss limits for young adults.

France.- The French gambling regulator, l’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), has set out a new series of policy recommendations that would introduce new restrictions for gambling promotion and player protection ahead of the next World Cup.

It wants a whistle-to-whistle ban on gambling ads during sports broadcasts. That would be similar to the voluntary initiatives introduced in Britain by the Betting and Gaming Council in 2019 and more recently in Ireland by Irish Bookmakers Association. Those measures prohibit the use of gambling ads during sports broadcasts starting from five minutes before the start of sports broadcasts until five minutes after the end.

The regulator also proposes new loss limits specifically for young adults aged 18 to 25. It also mentioned a desire to tighten sponsorship rules to “combat the trivialisation of gambling”. It already prohibits the use of athletes’ images in gambling campaigns in way that could appeal to minors.

Unveiling the proposals at a conference this week, the ANJ said that the measures are still being reviewed. However, it said it was committed to increasing player protection measures in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which it sees as an opportunity to change public perceptions of gambling.

In attendance, Simone Alexe, head of addiction prevention at France’s General Directorate of Health, argued that a rise in gambling support requests observed in 2024 shows that clearer health warnings about gambling-related harm were needed.

The ANJ has recently begun monitoring to identify players who show signs of excessive gambling. It intends to conduct ten operations in 2025. It intends to introduce automated systems to detect problem gamblers by 2026.

The regulator recently named Pauline Hot as director general. She replaces Rémi Latastem, who had helmed the ANJ since its creation in 2020 as the unified gambling regulator for all forms of gambling in France. Meanwhile, leaders from three French gambling operators have called for the government to simplify French gambling tax amid a hike introduced this year.

https://focusgn.com/french-gambling-regulator-proposes-whistle-to-whistle-ban-on-gambling-ads