L’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), France’s national gambling regulator, has reviewed the marketing strategies of online operators for 2025, revealing certain trends. According to the ANJ, promotional and marketing spending will increase as sportsbooks compete for customer attention.
Increase in Promotional Spending
The ANJ highlighted an 11% planned increase in promotional spending among France’s gaming operators, despite the absence of major sporting events in 2025. While 2024 included events such as the UEFA European Championship and the Olympics, companies plan to raise their promotional spending to EUR 695 million in 2025.
Operators also intend to boost their marketing spending by 12%, with digital media expected to remain a primary outlet for promoting their products. Approximately 45% of the marketing budget will be allocated to digital ads, and another 32% to traditional media marketing. Financial rewards will increase by 11%, representing around 58.5% of the overall budget. Sponsorship spending is set to rise by 23%.
ANJ’s Conditions
These metrics are based on plans submitted by France’s 16 approved online operators and 2 operators with exclusive rights (FDJ and PMU). The ANJ evaluated and approved their promotional strategies for 2025, provided that the following conditions are met:
- The four largest online operators must reduce their promotional budgets and present the changes to the ANJ by February 17.
- Operators must exercise moderation in sports partnerships to avoid negatively affecting problem gamblers or minor sports fans.
- Operators must not encourage problem gambling and must ensure riskier players do not overspend.
The ANJ noted that previous recommendations, including moderation of promotional strategies, stabilization of digital media use, forgoing deals with influencers appealing to younger audiences, and restraint in bonus distribution, have been followed.
ANJ Unveils New Appointments
The ANJ announced three new appointments to its team: Pauline Hot as deputy director general, and Justine Atlan and Olivia Pett to its college. Hot, a former student of the Ecole Normale Supérieure and the Ecole Nationale d’Administration, has served as an auditor for four years and a petitions master at the Council of State. Pett and Atlan will replace Chantal Rubin and Charles Dudognon, whose terms have ended.
Political Changes and Their Impact
In other news, Michel Barnier was recently ousted in a December no-confidence vote, putting the future of French iGaming in peril. While Barnier sought tax hikes that could have harmed the overall gaming industry, his removal delays the ongoing online casino efforts.