The National Gaming Authority (ANJ) unveiled an action plan on Wednesday aimed at preventing excessive gambling among the youngest, by regulating advertising practices with "guidelines" and "recommendations".
At the end of an online consultation which brought together gambling operators, advertisers, health professionals, care associations, sports federations, the educational community and the general public, the authority wanted to define clear rules, which will be "fully operational” in September, before the next Football World Cup.
Thus, according to the decree, advertising is prohibited when “it encourages excessive gambling”, “trivializes” or “promotes” it.
For the ANJ, this prohibits "scenes of excitement or emotion of disproportionate intensity" or which equate the game to an "feat", bringing the player closer to "an extreme athlete".
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Likewise, it cannot "suggest that gambling contributes to social success", says the regulations, so gambling cannot be associated with "financial success", "sentimental or sexual success", "the admiration of others “, adds the ANJ.
“External signs of wealth”, “luxury products” such as “sports cars, dream villas”, “private jet or yacht travel”, will be prohibited.
Advertising for the game must also not present it as an alternative to paid work, nor as a "solution to personal difficulties", that is to say, "an escape to support a breakup , illness" or compensate for "repetitive and low-paying work".
As it cannot target children or adolescents, advertising will not use activities or cultural works popular with them.
3 advertisements per cut maximum
The ANJ also makes recommendations aimed at reducing advertising pressure: for television and radio, it recommends a maximum of three communications per advertising break, all operators combined.
For websites and social networks, it also recommends a limit of "three commercial communications per day and per medium" and wants an "advertising moderator", allowing the player to choose "the number, frequency and type of notifications” that will be sent to it, or set up on the applications or sites of gaming operators.
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They will also have to ensure that their influencers and ambassadors have neither "a physical appearance suggesting that they are minors", nor "strong popularity among minors".
Finally, the ANJ wants a logo "prohibited for those under 18", occupying at least 15% of the advertising format, to appear on the front of game media sold at tobacconists and that only players with a validated account have access to advertisements. in line.
Possible penalties
If these recommendations are absolutely not followed, the ANJ may initiate “either financial or administrative sanctions, which can go as far as the suspension of the approval, or even its withdrawal”, specified its president Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin.
“We will have a follow-up committee.
If that doesn't work, we will always have the legislative and regulatory response.
But it would be a shame for the operators themselves,” she said.
The ANJ had undertaken to better regulate these practices in view of "strong and unprecedented advertising pressure from betting operators which accelerated in 2021", in particular during the last Euro football, she said. recalled.
According to a recent survey commissioned by the ANJ, more than a third of 15-17 year olds have played a gambling game in the last twelve months despite their ban on minors.
