French Regulator Initiates Betting Campaign Amid Rising World Cup Excitement
France’s gambling regulator ANJ has initiated a public awareness campaign ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This move follows a recent survey indicating that 41% of tournament followers intend to place real-money bets, with younger adults demonstrating the strongest interest.
In anticipation of increased betting activity during the upcoming World Cup, the ANJ has launched a campaign aimed at promoting responsible gambling. The regulator attributes this initiative to increased exposure to betting opportunities, particularly among younger demographics and football enthusiasts.
A survey conducted by Toluna-Harris Interactive, involving 1,071 French adults between May 19 and 21, 2026, revealed that 57% planned to follow the tournament. Among these, 41% expressed intentions to place real-money bets via mobile applications, online platforms, or physical outlets. Additionally, 51% anticipated engaging in informal betting with friends or family without monetary exchange.
The data indicated that men and younger adults exhibited the highest levels of interest: 71% of men and 71% of individuals aged 18-24, as well as 69% of those aged 25-34, intended to follow the tournament. Among those interested in betting, 49% of men and over half of the 18-24 and 25-34 age groups planned to wager money. Participants from higher socio-economic backgrounds were more inclined to bet (49%) compared to 35% in lower socio-economic groups. Matches involving France and other high-profile fixtures attracted the most attention, with many previous bettors expecting their expenditure to increase during this tournament.
The survey also highlighted awareness of betting risks: 83% acknowledged that sports betting could lead to addiction and dependence, despite many still planning to participate. Reports of gambling-related harm included 19% who knew someone who had lost control over their gambling.
Among active sports bettors, 37% reported feeling a loss of control within the past year, with this figure rising to 67% among bettors aged 18-24. Data from the French Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction estimate that approximately 1.17 million individuals in France exhibited problematic gambling behaviors in 2024, with roughly 360,000 categorized as excessive players. The survey found that 35% of respondents had recently seen sports betting advertisements, with higher recall among younger individuals and football fans. Television remains the primary channel for such advertising, surpassing internet and social media platforms.
Public support for increased regulation was significant: 77% favored the idea that broadcasters and operators should ban betting ads during three-minute mid-half breaks, and 82% supported banning betting advertising during the five minutes before kick-off, during the game, and in the five minutes after the match ends. The ANJ reported that the 2022 World Cup generated over €900 million in bets across online and retail channels in France. The final match between France and Argentina alone accounted for nearly €54 million in online wagers. For the 2026 tournament, the regulator estimates total stakes could reach approximately €1.2 billion, although this figure may fluctuate depending on France’s performance.
The upcoming awareness campaign will commence one week prior to the tournament. Developed in collaboration with creative agency LIBRE, the initiative features the yellow legal banner as a “risk zone” indicator around a staged living-room setup in public spaces. Actors portray signs associated with gambling addiction, such as mounting losses, attempts to recover bets, agitation, and withdrawal.
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The campaign encourages viewers to visit Evalujeu, a website providing personalized assessments and support resources.
ANJ President Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin stated: “With the approach of this World Cup, we are entering a risk zone with several warning signs for the regulator: a greater number of matches and therefore more advertising and betting opportunities and, at the same time, we are seeing an upward trend in the number of problem gamblers and their contribution to operators’ revenue.”
The ANJ emphasized that it will intensify its monitoring of advertising practices and collaborate closely with broadcasters and operators to ensure compliance with commitments. Additionally, the regulator plans to promote support services like Evalujeu throughout the tournament and coordinate outreach efforts with local treatment providers and helplines.
