Tag Archives: AFJEL

Breaking developments in France see Senators approve of new tax hikes across all gambling activities. Meanwhile, Jake Pollard examines FDJ’s unexpected opposition to the upcoming online casino regulation in France, criticised by opponents as protectionist and hypocritical.  French Senators have voted in favour of the government’s “comportmental tax raises” targeting soft drinks, tobacco and gambling.  The tax hikes on gambling …

Discussions at the AFJEL annual conference focused on responsible gambling, licensing and combatting the illegal market… Yet Jake Pollard notes that the potential of France launching its regulated online casino market dominated all leadership discussions.  France’s iGaming industry gathered yesterday for the annual conference organised by its trade body AFJEL and discussions covered the role of AI in addressing problem …

As the French government begins consultations with gambling stakeholders, market access, combating the illegal market and remit of regulations will be among the key issues debated in 2025. The working groups that will study potential frameworks that could lead to online casino being regulated in France from January will take into account the key issues of public health, consumer protection …

The government’s move means online casino regulation will be in 2026 at the earliest. France is set to undertake a six-month consultation to assess whether the country will regulate online casino in 2025, thus drawing a line under the question of timing and whether the vertical could be regulated this year. The news follows the meeting of French gambling stakeholders …

Despite netting H1 growth, French stakeholders fear “monumental impact” of rumoured tax increases sought by new Prime Minster Michel Barnier France’s gambling GGR was up 3.8% to €5.5bn in the first half of 2024 compared with the same period last year, with FDJ recording a rise of 5.5% to €3.5bn in GGR and online sports betting operators’ GGR rising 10.5% …

Licensed bookmakers in France took €650m in stakes from French punters during the UEFA Euro 2024 championships that concluded on 14 July with Spain becoming European champions for the fourth time, according to the latest figures published by the Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ).   The total was less than that recorded during the previous Euros in 2021, said ANJ, but …

AFJEL, the trade body representing France’s regulated online betting operators, has blamed illegal bookmakers targeting French punters for a poor Euro 2024, which revealed  “surprisingly low or even decreasing figures” for the country’s legal bookmakers when compared with past major sporting events. The association said data from dot.fr bookmakers showed that Euro 2024 stakes were flat compared to Euro 2020 …

SBC correspondent Jake Pollard reports on French racing’s tote monopoly Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU) joining the AFJEL union to lobby on two key topics. The French tote operator Pari Mutuel Urbain has joined the country’s online gambling trade body AFJEL as part of a move to strengthen lobbying efforts by the industry on two key topics: online casino and the potential shape …

Sources suggest that France’s national lottery operator could be in line for exclusive iCasino licence…   Could lottery operator Française des jeux be about to agree a deal with the French government that would see it become the only company licensed to operate online casino games in the country? According to French industry sources, FDJ and the country’s authorities are working …

l’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) France’s unified gambling regulator, has warned licensed sportsbooks that player bets cannot be refused, restricted, or limited ‘without legitimate reasoning’. The warning follows a raise in player complaints made against online sportsbooks, registered by national gambling ombudsman Games Mediator – that cited ‘a rising 17% of complaints’ had been against operators for refusing or partially …