France Rolls Out New Digital Campaign to Promote Gambling Self-Exclusion

France’s gambling regulator, l’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), has launched a new nationwide digital awareness campaign designed to encourage greater use of the country’s voluntary gambling self-exclusion system.

The self-exclusion register allows individuals to proactively restrict their access to most regulated forms of gambling, helping to reduce risks linked to financial harm, addiction and social isolation. Registration is confidential and strictly personal, although legal guardians are also permitted to apply on behalf of someone experiencing gambling-related difficulties.

Once enrolled, individuals are prevented from entering casinos and gaming clubs, accessing licensed online sports betting, horse racing and poker platforms, and using online or retail player accounts linked to operators such as Française des Jeux and PMU.

Register growth and digital overhaul

Self-exclusion applies for a minimum period of three years and cannot be revoked during that time. After the period has elapsed, individuals may submit a request to have the restriction lifted.

Since the ANJ assumed responsibility for managing the register in 2021, the number of people enrolled has increased significantly, rising from around 40,000 to more than 85,000. In 2024 alone, approximately 19,000 new registrations were recorded, representing growth of around 25% over the past two years.

Regulator data shows that 77% of those registered are men. Young adults aged 18 to 24 account for 23% of entries and are considered particularly vulnerable to aggressive marketing and illegal gambling sites that do not recognise the self-exclusion system. The largest group is aged 25 to 34, making up 33% of registrations, with sports betting most frequently cited as the reason for exclusion.

People aged 35 to 49 represent 25% of the register, commonly pointing to sports betting and online poker, while those aged over 65 most often cite land-based casinos as the trigger for self-exclusion.

As part of the campaign, the ANJ has introduced a fully digital registration process. Applicants must submit an online request, verify an identity document, complete a live selfie check via the IDnow verification service and receive confirmation by email. Registration typically becomes effective within a few days.

Looking ahead to 2026, the regulator plans to allow registered individuals to create a personal account to monitor their exclusion status, access documentation and submit requests to lift the ban once the minimum period has passed. The ANJ is also preparing a proactive call programme to engage with registered players, offer support and gather feedback on how the system works in practice.