French regulator Autorite Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) has announced that it will now require pre-approval of La Française des Jeux’s (FDJ) annual game programmes and ongoing monitoring of new games, in order to assess whether these games align with channelling objectives while mitigating the risks of excessive gambling.
The objective of the regulator is to maintain a balance between increasing channelisation by introducing more games to the legal market and curbing the overall expansion of the gaming market.
FDJ, privatised in 2019, holds a monopoly on lottery games both in physical shops and online, as well as sports betting in physical shops. The company paid €380m for these exclusive rights under a 25-year contract with the French state.
FDJ’s operations are closely monitored by the ANJ, in order to maintain a balance between the provision of a variety of games to attract players away from the illegal market (channelisation) and avoiding the introduction of games that could lead to problem gambling.
The most recent ANJ report states: “To achieve its objective of channelling players into controlled gaming channels, the monopoly holder must provide a reliable yet attractive alternative to illegal activities, which may involve offering a wide range of games, advertising on a certain scale and using new distribution techniques.
“However, this cannot justify an expansionist policy encouraging consumers’ natural propensity to gamble by stimulating their active participation, nor can it deviate from the State policy objective to limit and control the supply and consumption of games to prevent excessive or pathological gambling and protect minors.”
The ANJ has already rejected some proposals from FDJ’s 2025 game programme, including micro-betting and integrated cross-promotions. The regulator has also introduced the Playscan to monitor and rate gambling practices. Ratings are based on a personal questionnaire and collected data related to gaming habits, such as late-night play, session length and bet levels. Players can see their Playscan results when gambling with FDJ.
The monopoly in France has been challenged in the past, but the Court of Justice of the European Union ruled that such restrictions can be justified to ensure an elevated level of consumer protection in gambling.
