France Tightens Regulations on Sports Gambling Partnerships to Protect Minors

Contributed article. This piece was supplied by an outside contributor and published on this domain. It sits outside our editorial sections and may contain paid links, which are marked. It is not the work of the SESA Sport desk.

The French gambling regulator Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) has announced a range of new regulations and non–binding recommendations designed to strengthen the regulation of France online bookies.

Prohibition of Role Models in Gambling Marketing

This includes the prohibition of role models in marketing communications, aimed at preventing gambling–related harm such as problem gambling and encouraging gambling among minors.

Collaboration for a Safer Gambling Environment

The new measures are the result of a working group set up by ANJ in July 2022, in collaboration with the ministry of sports, General Directorate of Health (DGS), and Interministerial Mission for the Fight Against Drugs and Addictive Behaviour (MILDECA).

Focus on Athlete Images and Targeted Marketing

The proposals focus on the use of athletes’ images in advertising, the use of marketing techniques to target minors, and warning messages displayed in relation to betting. Under the new regulations, the use of role models in gambling marketing is banned if 13–17–year–olds make up 16 percent of an individual’s audience on social media.

Restrictions on Gambling Products for Minors

Targeted products containing an operator’s brand are also not permitted to be offered to children, and minors are excluded from participating in any commercial activities as part of a gambling partnership. Two non–binding recommendations have also been released by ANJ. These are that a gaming company’s logos are not to be put on child–sized shirts and that on–pitch gambling ads include a “forbidden to those under 18” phrase.

Reducing the Normalization of Gambling in Sports

ANJ is also seeking to reduce the normalization of gambling by banning predictions on the outcome of competitions by active sports players and excluding gambling operators from giving competitions or facilities their brand name.

Limiting Sports Betting Brand Exposure

The regulator has asked that sports betting operators’ brands are only displayed in a limited way in and around sporting premises. Moreover, ANJ is to prohibit sporting organisations and athletes from partnering with gambling companies “operating illegally in France.”

The Risks of Sports and Gambling Associations

“This association between sport and gambling is likely to trivialise and make the practice of these games attractive, and therefore to stimulate their consumption as well as to promote excessive or pathological gambling and gambling by minors,” said ANJ.

International Examples of Similar Regulations

Examples of other countries introducing similar restrictions were highlighted by the regulator, including Spain, Italy, Switzerland, and the UK, which plans to limit these partnership contracts.

ANJ's Commitment to Protecting Consumers

Commenting on the new regulations, ANJ said: “These elements of risk have been highlighted by several recent scientific studies and imply reinforced regulation of the commercial practice of partnership.” The body added that the guidelines and recommendations may be extended at a future date if deemed necessary.

← Previous Next →