French Regulator Orders Operators to “De-intensify” Marketing in 2022

French regulator L’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) has warned that operators were not doing enough to “de-intensify” their marketing, after reviewing operators’ promotional strategies for 2022.

ANJ completed its second annual review of operator marketing strategies, in which it examines the marketing activities that every licensee has planned for the year, last week.

The review came soon after the regulator announced a crackdown on advertising after what it perceived to be an “oversaturation” in 2021.

Under new rules announced last month, any ads “trivialising” gambling will be banned, as will “those containing unfounded statements on the chances of winning” or equating gambling an improvement in social status, or as an alternative to paid work.

ANJ also proposed a number of “recommendations” – which are not binding – including a suggestion that the industry should set a combined limit of three gambling ads per advertising slot on television and radio, and three per day per site online.

The review of strategies, ANJ said, was based on the rules and recommendations that had been adopted last month.

“The new conditions set for operators in the decisions of ANJ are consistent with the guidelines and recommendations it adopted on February 17 and constitute a first illustration of the regulator’s desire to ‘de-intensify’ the advertising market by gambling in order to better protect vulnerable groups and minors,” it said.