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The Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) of France has taken decisive action in response to rising concerns over sports sponsorships involving gambling businesses. The ANJ intends to address the potential impact of these business links in the realm of sports by tightening laws and implementing steps to ease concerns.
Recent analysis by an ANJ research team found a strong 20% growth in sports agreements with legal gambling operators, totaling €34 million ($36.5 million) in 2022, with a projected increase to €40.7 million ($43.7 million) in 2023.
The news that about €15 million ($16 million) of these sports agreements with operators are not authorized in France for gamblers in Africa and Asia is particularly concerning. This discovery raises serious concerns about the scope and impact of these sponsorships, compelling the ANJ to take quick action.
The ANJ has issued new guidelines and suggestions to safeguard minors, preserve sports integrity, and combat pathological gambling. These regulations apply to all licensed enterprises in the gambling industry. The ANJ’s goal is to protect vulnerable people and prevent sports stars from being abused for promotional objectives.
Concerning the restriction of current athletes from participating in advertisements advertising gambling products or betting partnerships, the ANJ emphasized the need of protecting young minds from the draw of gambling and preventing sports icons from being exploited for commercial purposes.
The ANJ further emphasized the necessity of prohibiting minors from engaging in commercial activities related with gambling operations. The ANJ believes that the role of sport is to create healthy competition rather than to push commercial activity, especially among younger people.
To address these concerns, the ANJ has advised French sports clubs to remove all gambling brand insignia from child-size clothing made for those under the age of 18. This law protects children from the impact of gambling sponsorships.
The ANJ has developed criteria that limit the portrayal of athletes and events in its efforts to reduce excessive or pathological gambling. The ANJ, for example, suggests a ban on commercials depicting athletes, officials, and other competition participants wagering on their sport.
Active athletes are also prohibited from making competitive predictions or actively advertising odds on a match in their discipline as part of any gambling-related campaign. According to the ANJ, showing sports figures in such circumstances blurs the line between healthy competition and gambling, potentially leading to excessive or pathological gambling.
The ANJ has advised including warning signs at the bottom of billboards and within commercial animations to increase the visibility of responsible gambling messages.
Furthermore, to prevent the proliferation of gambling-related promotions, French sports teams have been instructed to minimize or eliminate all “bet redirect links” or “betting content” advertised on their websites, applications, and content platforms.
According to the ANJ, while these principles provide a strong foundation for regulating gambling activities, their effectiveness is dependent on sports organizations, clubs, and athletes’ desire to follow them.
The ANJ is dedicated to reviewing its standards and recommendations on a regular basis, with the first review anticipated for the first quarter of 2024. Furthermore, the authority remains open to recommending legislative and regulatory reforms as needed to align goals with larger gambling and betting policy.