France revamps gambling self-exclusion system
The French gambling regulator’s new fully digital system is intended to streamline the sign-up process.
France.- The French gambling regulator, l’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), has announced the launch of the country’s redesigned national gambling self-exclusion register, Interdiction Volontaire. The programme now has a fully digital format, which is intended to simplify and speed up the sign-up process while also strengthening identity verification.
The original framework was introduced in 2007 by the Ministry of the Interior. At that time, those who wanted to register had to go in person to a police station, complete paperwork, present physical identification, and undergo an interview to be excluded.
The register also only covered land-based casinos and gaming clubs when it was created. Its scope was expanded following the legalisation of online sports betting and poker in 2010. In 2020, the ANJ took responsibility for the register from the Ministry of the Interior and pledged to modernise the system while expanding coverage in line with responsible gambling standards.
The regulator described the revamp as “the most significant update to France’s player-protection regime since the programme was created” making exclusion faster, more accessible and more secure. The new system reduces the timelapse for activation to just one day.
Players can register using a fully online enrolment process at interdictiondejeux.anj.fr. Applicants must verify their identity, complete a dynamic selfie through IDnow, and should receive confirmation that their exclusion is active within 24 hours.
Looking ahead, ANJ plans to introduce personalised user accounts in 2026. These will allow registrants to access documents, monitor their exclusion status and request removal after the mandatory three-year minimum exclusion period. A call-back system will also be implemented to collect feedback and provide ongoing support.
Since 2021, participation on the register has more than doubled from 40,000 in 2021 to over 85,000 today. In the past two years, registrations have increased by 25 per cent, with 19,000 new registrations recorded in 2024.
Demographic data shows that 77 per cent of registrants are men. Young adults aged 18–24 make up 23 per cent of sign ups, while the 25–34 age group accounts for 33 per cent. Among those aged 35–49, who represent 25 per cent, sports betting and online poker are cited as the main triggers. For players aged 65 and older, casinos remain the dominant concern.
