The agreement aims to promote responsible gaming and prevent underage gambling.

France.- The French gambling regulator, L’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), has entered into an agreement with the UNAF, France’s national union of family associations. The agreement is intended to help promote responsible gambling and prevent underage gambling.

Signed by ANJ president Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin and UNAF president Marie-André Blanc, the agreement aims to strengthen cooperation in several areas. There will be a focus on research, creating new tools for professionals supporting vulnerable groups, the organisation of training programs for professionals and volunteers and the generation of materials to raise awareness of gambling issues. The two bodies also plan to improve the tools available to help families prevent underage gambling.

The two bodies will work together during the current half to develop new materials to raise awareness of problems around excessive gambling and underage gambling.

French sports betting up 24% in H1

The ANJ reported that licensed bets in France hit €5.2bn in H1, a rise of 24 per cent year-on-year. Gross gaming revenue (GGR) was up 16 per cent at €871m.

Online betting was up 10 per cent at €1.3bn, with the number of online active player accounts rising by 13 per cent year-on-year to 2 million in June. The growth in June was particularly strong, likely because of Euro 2024. Nevertheless, the amount wagered on the Euros was some way below the ANJ’s forecast of €1bn, reaching just €650m. That compares to €900m staked during the previous tournament in 2021.

The ANJ attributed the drop to the poor performance of the French team as well as to the French general election. However, the French online gaming association AFJEL has suggested that unlicensed betting on Euro 2024 led its members to take around half of the handle estimated.