Key Takeaways
- ANJ deployed innovative tracking algorithm to quantify revenue linked to harmful gambling patterns
- System identified 600,000 at-risk users in the latter half of 2025, representing 8.7% of total registered users
- These problematic players contributed €1.2 billion in gross revenue, comprising 60% of industry totals
- Licensed operators self-reported just 89,000 excessive gamblers over 2024–2025, revealing a massive detection shortfall
- Regulator demands immediate intervention for 300,000 users classified as “clearly excessive” gamblers
France’s national gambling authority, the AutoritĂ© Nationale des Jeux, has unveiled findings from a sophisticated new tracking algorithm that reveals the troubling financial dependence of licensed operators on players exhibiting harmful gambling behaviors.
The data presents a concerning snapshot of the French online gambling landscape.
During the final six months of 2025, the algorithmic system flagged approximately 600,000 individual players displaying characteristics consistent with problematic gambling. This cohort represented 8.7% of the total registered user base across France’s regulated gambling platforms.
The revenue contribution from this subset was striking: €1.2 billion in gross gaming revenue. This amount accounted for a full 60% of all money wagered and lost on licensed platforms during that timeframe.
According to the ANJ, the findings indicate a troubling upward trajectory in both the volume of vulnerable players and their proportional contribution to industry revenues. The watchdog characterized the circumstances as requiring immediate attention.
Inside the Detection System
The algorithmic tool represents an internal development by the ANJ, engineered to capture authentic player engagement patterns across digital gambling platforms. The system analyzes behavioral data from user accounts to identify those demonstrating excessive or compulsive gambling tendencies.
Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin, who chairs the ANJ, characterized the algorithm’s deployment to licensed operators as a significant milestone. She emphasized its innovative design and effectiveness in accurately modeling real-world gambling behaviors.
While operators face no mandate to implement the algorithm, the ANJ has distributed it as a benchmarking resource. Companies can evaluate their internal detection mechanisms against the regulator’s standard.
The authority views this tool as essential for monitoring industry trends over extended periods. It also provides the ANJ with enhanced visibility into whether gambling companies are fulfilling their statutory duties.
French gambling legislation mandates that all licensed operators must actively identify and provide assistance to individuals struggling with gambling problems. The ANJ’s analysis indicates widespread failure to meet this obligation.
Throughout 2024 and 2025, operators collectively reported detecting 89,000 players with excessive gambling patterns. This represented growth from 31,000 identified in the prior year.
Though this uptick demonstrates some improvement, it remains dramatically lower than the 600,000 users flagged by the regulatory algorithm. This substantial discrepancy indicates that existing operator identification systems are overlooking the overwhelming majority of vulnerable players.
Regulatory Expectations Moving Forward
The ANJ is demanding swift action from operators, with immediate focus on the 300,000 players the algorithm classified as “clearly excessive.” The regulator identifies this segment as requiring the most urgent intervention.
Intervention strategies may encompass personalized communication with identified players. Operators might implement restrictions on deposits or wagering limits for flagged accounts.
Additional measures could involve facilitating connections between players and charitable organizations or healthcare providers specializing in gambling addiction. The ANJ acknowledges that certain cases may warrant permanent account suspension.
The regulator has integrated this initiative into its strategic roadmap covering 2024–2026, which prioritizes combating excessive gambling as a core objective. The ANJ has repeatedly cautioned operators that current efforts remain insufficient.
Falque-Pierrotin further emphasized that identification protocols should extend beyond digital channels. She advocated for enhanced monitoring at physical retail gambling locations as well.
The ANJ’s revelations intensify pressure on gambling companies to bridge the substantial divide between their self-reported detection rates and the significantly larger population identified through algorithmic analysis. The regulator has signaled its commitment to rigorous oversight moving forward.
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