The French National Gaming Authority (ANJ) issued a formal call to all sports betting and gambling operators operating in French territory to significantly moderate their advertising strategies ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The request arises after detecting budget increases of over 25% and concerns about increased advertising exposure during the most important sporting tournament on the planet.
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The French regulator based its request on the results of an exhaustive review of the promotion strategies planned by operators for 2026, during which it identified considerable growth in advertising budgets, mainly attributed to expenses associated with the upcoming football World Cup.
25% increase in advertising budgets concerns the regulator
During the analysis of the commercial strategies presented by authorized bookmakers in France, the ANJ documented that the advertising budgets projected for 2026 exceed the figures recorded in previous years by more than 25%. This substantial increase is directly linked to the investments planned to take advantage of the massive audience that the 2026 World Cup will generate.
The FIFA World Cup, which will be held for the first time in three countries simultaneously (United States, Mexico, and Canada), represents an unprecedented commercial opportunity for sports betting operators. The tournament, expanded to 48 national teams, will offer 104 matches, almost double the traditional 32-team format.
Faced with this projection of advertising expenses, the ANJ explicitly requested all operators in the French market not to exceed the announced budgets, with the aim of avoiding the risk of advertising overexposure and the consequent proliferation of behaviors related to gambling addiction.
FIFA hydration breaks generate additional advertising time
The French regulator’s concerns intensified following FIFA’s recent announcement regarding the introduction of mandatory hydration breaks during tournament matches. This measure, designed to protect the health of players in adverse weather conditions, especially in stadiums located in hot regions of the United States and Mexico, will have a significant side effect in terms of advertising.
According to ANJ calculations, the water breaks will result in two additional minutes of advertising time available during each World Cup match. Considering that the tournament will include 104 matches, this represents approximately 208 additional minutes of advertising space, equivalent to more than three and a half hours of extra commercial exposure throughout the competition.
This additional time presents an attractive commercial opportunity for advertisers, but also proportionally increases the risk of excessive exposure to sports betting advertising, particularly among vulnerable audiences.
Alarming data on gambling addiction in sports betting
The ANJ based its request for advertising moderation on worrying statistics about the prevalence of gambling addiction in France. According to the regulator’s data, 15.3% of people who participate in sports betting show indicators of problematic behavior or gambling addiction.
The situation among young adults is particularly concerning. Figures from 2024 reveal that 18% of people between 18 and 24 years old participated in betting activities during that year, making this demographic segment one of the most exposed to developing gambling addiction problems.
In an official statement, the ANJ expressed: “Given the prevalence of gambling addiction in sports betting (15.3%) and the fact that 18% of young people between 18 and 24 played in 2024, this announcement certainly raises fears of an intensification of advertising pressure on the most vulnerable players.”
Call for moderation in commercial activations
The ANJ extended its request for moderation beyond traditional advertising, also covering commercial and sponsorship activations that operators have planned for the 2026 World Cup. The regulator urged both broadcasting companies and gambling operators to act with prudence when promoting the new advertising spaces available.
“Following this announcement, [the ANJ] calls on all stakeholders, both broadcasters and gambling operators, to act with moderation when promoting these new spaces, including the activation of their partnerships,” the regulator wrote in its official statement.
This request covers sponsorships, mentions during broadcasts, social media activations, special promotions linked to the tournament, and any other form of commercial communication related to sports betting during the World Cup period.
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