France Welcomes a New Era in Regulation with L’Autorité Nationale des Jeux
Published June 30, 2020 by Lee R
The new regulation body in France has enhanced and expanded powers.
France has a new governing regulator, so what does it mean?
The New Regime
L’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) officially launched 22 June with the first official meeting between Board Members.
Scope of Governance
ANJ will oversee all gambling in the country, including iGaming; France's 202 casinos, horse race wagering and lottery games.
Expanded Oversight
ANJ expands the powers of the regulation body in France, after taking over from predecessor l’Autorité nationale de régulation des jeux en ligne (ARJEL), an organisation which only oversaw France's online gambling market.
ANJ reports that the new reach of oversight covers 78% of the regulated French market—a whopping jump from the 11% scope covered by ARJEL.
ANJ's oversight stretches across 14 licensed online operators in France; as well as all online and point-of-sale lottery and betting games sold by Française des Jeux (FDJ); and the retail betting and bookmaking network of Pari-Mutuel Urbain.
Compliance
Third party compliance will be covered by the Ministry of Home Affairs, to monitor procedure and compliance for anti-money laundering and integrity procedure.
Launching The New Era
ANJ's ascension was formally announced 4 March, when ANJ president Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin explained the new approach:
“The ANJ is not an enlarged ARJEL, it is a new project that requires rethinking regulation. It has to adapt its interventions to monopolies and to players gambling mostly anonymously in points of sale.
Leadership Priorities
Falque-Pierrotin described the updated priorities of the new regime as protection of players through a successful integration of “support and control.”
ANJ identifies four core objectives in its governance: preventing problem gambling; ensuring gambling's integrity, reliability and transparency; preventing fraudulent and criminal activity; and ensuring “balanced and fair development” in games.
More Influence
ANJ's authority as regulator expands to the power to order operators to withdraw advertising materials and the ability to carry out on-site controls.
More duties ANJ will carry out include licensing operators for the type of games they offer; promotional strategies; action plans to prevent fraud and money laundering and responsible gambling strategies; and annual service offering reviews.
Outlook
With ANJ currently putting the finishing touches new strategies for safe play and moving forward after the Corona shutdowns, the new regulator in France looks highly improved as well.
