France calls on operators to moderate their World Cup gambling ad spending

• The ANJ expects operators and broadcasters to act responsibly during the FIFA World Cup and not overspend on their gambling ads
• The regulator expects heightened betting and advertising activity during the event
• A major risk to consumers remains the black market, which is likely to continue picking up steam around and during the FIFA World Cup event

With the FIFA World Cup coming up, France’s gambling regulator, the Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), has issued a reminder to operators and broadcasters not to overdo their advertising during a period that is traditionally marked by heightened betting activity.

ANJ urges gambling operators to stay within their ad spending budgets

The ANJ confirmed that licensed operators have increased their promotional budgets to meet demand during the period, but urged operators to stay within these self-imposed limits during the FIFA World Cup.

This is especially important as FIFA has now introduced an additional 2 minutes of advertising space during commercial breaks.

The ANJ wants to help operators steer vulnerable consumers clear of gambling-related harm by not overexposing them to gambling as much as reasonably possible.

"Following this announcement, it calls on all stakeholders, broadcasters as well as gambling operators, to exercise restraint in promoting these new spaces, including in activating their partnerships," the ANJ said.

More importantly, the ANJ expects from broadcasters to also ensure that they are not promoting illegal gambling products, paying particular attention to online casinos.

France still faces a major challenge from the illegal gambling market

Yet, issuing warnings to the regulated market and broadcaster may not be what is needed here, as France’s illegal gambling market has continued to grow exponentially.

In November, the Association française des jeux en ligne (AFJEL), a French trade group focusing on the gambling industry, reported that the nation’s online legal market has now ceded further ground to the unregulated market, with the majority of gamblers and gambling spending taking place with unauthorized operators.

Illegal gambling also surges around the time of major sports events. In the United States, for example, it’s estimated that billions are still wagered on the Super Bowl, for example.

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