France’s gambling regulator is bracing for an unprecedented surge in sports betting during the upcoming World Cup. Projections suggest total wagers could hit €1.2 billion. The Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) is responding to this anticipated volume with a targeted awareness campaign designed to reach young adults at particular risk of problematic engagement. No heavy-handed restrictions here.

Market Growth and Youth Participation

The €1.2 billion forecast represents a real jump from the €900 million wagered during the 2022 World Cup. Both market maturation and shifting consumer behaviour are driving the increase. Survey data from Toluna-Harris Interactive paints a clear picture: more than half of French adults plan to watch the tournament, and among those viewers, betting intent runs notably high. Some 52 percent of viewers aged 18 to 24, and 54 percent of those aged 25 to 34, intend to place bets through digital applications or retail outlets.

Previous bettors are planning to increase their stakes this summer. That adds to the anticipated volume. The ANJ’s primary concern, however, isn’t really the aggregate betting figures. It’s the documented behavioural patterns among younger players. Survey findings indicate that two-thirds of active sports bettors aged 18 to 24 admit to losing control of their gambling activity over the past year, compared to roughly a third across the broader betting population. That gap is worth paying attention to.

The ANJ’s Creative Response

Rather than pursuing punitive measures, the ANJ has partnered with creative agency LIBRE to launch an experiential campaign beginning one week before the tournament. The initiative features staged living room installations in public spaces where actors simulate the symptoms of gambling addiction: financial hardship, anxiety, deteriorated social relationships. These installations are marked with yellow warning banners, the kind typically associated with health and safety risks. It’s a deliberate choice. Gambling dependency gets framed as a danger zone, plain and simple.

Passersby are directed to Evalujeu, a digital platform offering immediate personal assessments and pathways to support resources. This reflects a shift away from traditional public service announcements. The ANJ has gone for something more visceral, more narrative-driven.

Advertising and Industry Oversight

The regulator has identified advertising saturation as a significant driver of engagement. More than a third of the French population recalls recent gambling advertisements, primarily via television and social platforms. Public opinion on this is pretty clear. Over 75 percent back bans on gambling ads during mid-game commercial breaks, and 80 percent support a complete blackout in the five minutes before and after final whistle.

The ANJ plans to intensify its oversight of major broadcasters and betting platforms to enforce existing marketing regulations. The agency is also coordinating with regional healthcare providers and helpline networks to manage anticipated demand for support services during the tournament.