L’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), the French unified gambling regulatory agency, has launched a public consultation evaluating the standards and conduct of the country’s gambling advertising.
The consultation forms part of the ANJ’s pledge to reform French gambling’s advertising standards, which caused controversy following multiple public complaints recorded during this summer’s UEFA Euro 2020.
“French gambling must remain a recreational and measured practice,” outlined the ANJ’s consultation.
“However, the advertising pressure that was observed during Euro football, the targeting of young audiences, as well as the messages that foster the illusion of easy money, are particularly problematic.”
The regulators’ consultation has been split into three key phases to examine the advertising standards and practices of French licensed operators.
Phase-1 will see the ANJ launch a public consultation aiming to establish how French gambling advertising is perceived by audiences, and whether risks are appropriately communicated by advertisers.
A ‘general public sequencing’ will spearhead Phase-2, in which the regulator has launched an online questionnaire securing direct feedback and opinion on the current inventory of French gambling adverts.
The consultation will be concluded with ANJ undertaking ‘a call for contribution’ from professional stakeholders, including gaming operators, healthcare professionals, competent public authorities and healthcare associations.
The final phase will see the regulator host a workshop co-organized with France’s ARPP (Professional Advertising Regulatory Authority) bringing together licensed operators and advertising agencies.
Feedback from the consultation’s three phases will be used by the ANJ to ‘formalise its new advertising guidelines’.
“We need to question the permanence of a consensus around the French model of gambling and the changes that could possibly be made in terms of advertising, the ANJ has chosen open consultation made available to the general public.” – read a statement by ANJ President Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin.
“Indeed, the advertising of gambling concerns us all: players, non-players, parents, educators, operators, etc. Everyone will be able to express themselves on the acceptable balance to be found between advertising on gambling and maintaining a recreational practice of gambling. It will then be up to the regulator to make balanced and effective recommendations, based on a social pact shared by all.”