France Tightens Controls on Gambling Operators to Combat Fraud and Money Laundering
The Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) has announced that licensed gambling operators across France have largely aligned with regulatory expectations concerning their 2025 anti-fraud and anti-money laundering (AML) initiatives. While notable improvements have been observed, the regulator has pinpointed specific areas requiring enhancements and has introduced new directives for the upcoming year. France Gambling Operators
Following its recent evaluation of anti-fraud and AML/CFT action plans submitted by licensed operators and exclusive-rights holders, the ANJ confirmed that most companies have established robust compliance frameworks. This review scrutinized efforts against money laundering and terrorist financing, reflecting the initiatives implemented throughout 2025 and the commitments made for 2026. The authority noted that operators “broadly implemented the prescriptions and recommendations issued last year.” Nonetheless, it also identified several domains where further progress is necessary, prompting the adoption of additional, operator-specific requirements.
In accordance with French legislation, gambling operators are obliged to submit their fraud and AML/CFT action plans annually for approval. This process enables the ANJ to review internal controls, customer due diligence procedures, and reporting practices, maintaining an ongoing dialogue with operators to clarify compliance expectations. The regulator highlighted that “most operators now have satisfactory human, technical and procedural resources,” following its latest assessment, which was conducted against the comprehensive regulatory framework, including the reference system for anti-fraud and AML/CFT obligations outlined in the ministerial order of 9 September 2021.
For the 2026 cycle, the ANJ emphasized measures targeting organized crime, aligning with France’s 2025 legislation designed to bolster the country’s response to narcotics-related criminal activities. A key area of scrutiny involved whether operators apply “enhanced vigilance to players whose public or private sector roles may expose them to corruption risks.” This part of the review allowed the ANJ to evaluate how effectively operators integrated these risk factors into their controls. Where deficiencies were identified, the regulator mandated stronger safeguards through prescribed measures.
The ANJ praised the sector’s improvements facilitated by its operator-by-operator supervisory approach, including two compliance support meetings held in 2025. These follow-up sessions contributed to advancements in customer identification, detection of suspicious patterns, and the robustness of internal control arrangements. Furthermore, the regulator observed positive developments in the sector’s reporting to TRACFIN, France’s financial intelligence unit, both in terms of the volume and quality of suspicious transaction reports. Operators have also committed to expanding staff training, refining customer risk assessments, and enhancing internal monitoring throughout 2026.
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Despite these strides, the ANJ emphasized that “operators still need to make additional efforts.” For 2026, its priorities include refining alert systems to better identify players at risk of corruption through their professional activities, bolstering suspicious reporting practices, and improving report quality. The regulator also highlighted the need for stricter oversight of retail networks operated by exclusive-rights licensees, along with the implementation of proportionate and effective sanctions for breaches. While baseline AML standards in France have improved, supervisory focus is shifting towards more targeted controls and execution, particularly in higher-risk sectors.
