France’s national gambling authority has called on casinos to ramp up their strategy on tackling underage and problem gambling, noting that some are not identifying and supporting enough players suffering from gambling-related harm.
The French regulator noted that both excessive gambling and underage gambling are considered to be some of the biggest risks in the French gambling market. It urged the industry to reassess how it addresses the issues.
But despite the warning, praise was also given for the rise in partnerships between casinos and gambling harm support services, as the Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) reviewed action plans for preventing excessive and underage gambling from the country’s operators.
Uneven results
The ANJ noted that while casinos are improving the quality of their identification and support systems, some are ‘still only identifying and supporting an insufficient number of excessive or pathological players, which is not consistent with their level of attendance’.
The regulator added that the stronger connection between venues and support centres has helped to provide detected excessive gamblers with guidance to treatment options, conduct information campaigns and provide staff training.
Of note with the staff training, the ANJ said that over 2,200 people have engaged with the e-learning module since its launch in November 2024.
More work to do
Reducing gambling harm is a key component of the ANJ’s 2024-2026 strategic plan. It has been a requirement since October 2019 for operators to send their action plans for review to the ANJ as part of the aim to strengthen player protection.
In total, FDJ United and Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU), 17 licensed online gambling operators, 210 casinos and gaming clubs and 231 racetracks sent plans for approval to the regulator. Of the casinos, only one had its plan rejected.
The ANJ responded by highlighting that progress has been made across the industry, but emphasised that further efforts are needed to meet the goal of reducing gambling harm by 2027.
Several recommendations were given to operators, including strengthening systems, providing staff training and supplying players with vital information.
Action plans from FDJ and PMU were approved by the ANJ, but the regulator noted that two key areas need to be addressed:
- Deploy a demanding policy monitoring points of sale to comply with the ban on sales to minors.
- Develop methods adapted to physical points of sale to make a system that identifies and supports gamblers suffering from harm more effectively.
Strengthening systems
For licensed online operators, the ANJ stated that the majority have measures in place to stop people circumventing the underage gambling ban, including at registration, providing adult players with information, awareness campaigns and parental control tools.
Steps have also been taken to better identify those suffering from gambling harm, with the number flagged rising from 31,000 in 2024 to 89,000 in 2025 following developments to detection systems and new indicators.
However, the regulator wants to see operators do more to identify players who may be suffering from gambling-related harm to bring it ‘in line with the size of their player pool and prevalence studies’.
‘Tangible and measurable results’ must also be achieved in strengthening systems that identify those who may be suffering or at risk, with potential monitoring to take place to verify such changes.
The call for system strengthening comes as operators prepare for the upcoming FIFA World Cup. The ANJ warned FDJ, PMU and other licensed operators earlier this year that they are prohibited from exceeding their announced overall promotional strategy budget for 2026.
Racetrack improvements
As for horse racing, ANJ brought attention to the efforts to inform players of resources, training to staff, as well as continued oversight from the National Federation of Horse Racing (FNCH).
However, the regulator pinpointed the clear distinction needed between areas for families and areas for placing bets at venues, in addition to making sure content isn’t an indirect introduction to gambling.
The FNCH was also instructed to improve how it identifies and supports those suffering from gambling harm at racetracks by continuing its training efforts, as this was currently labelled as ‘insufficient’.
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