The National Lottery Authority (ANJ), the French gaming authority, announced the launch of a redesigned national register of voluntary exclusions from lottery. The project, which has now been fully digitized, aims to simplify and speed up the registration process while enhancing identification.
The original framework was launched by the French Ministry of the Interior in 2007. At that time, persons wishing to register had to go to the police station in person, fill out documents, produce identity documents and be interviewed to complete their registration. The system initially covered only entity casinos and game clubs. In 2010, registration was expanded following the legalization of online sports games and poker. By 2020, ANJ had taken over the system from the Ministry of the Interior and had committed to modernizing it on the basis of compliance with the criteria for responsible gambling. The regulatory body described this revision as “the most significant update of the French player protection system since the project was founded”, making the exclusion process faster, easier and safer. The new system reduces the activation cycle to just one day. Players can now register online through the website. Applicants must complete dynamic self-identification through IDnow and should receive confirmation of the validity of the exclusion within 24 hours.
Looking ahead, ANJ plans to introduce a personalized user account in 2026, which will enable registered persons to access relevant documents, monitor exclusions and apply for access after the mandatory three-year minimum exclusion period. ANJ will also introduce a back-to-back system for mobile phone feedback and ongoing support. Since 2021, enrolment has increased from 40,000 to over 85,000. Over the past two years, the number of registered persons has increased by 25 per cent, with 19,000 new registrations in 2024. The data show that 77 per cent of those registered were men. Young people between the ages of 8 and 24 account for 23 per cent of those enrolled, while those between the ages of 25 and 34 account for 33 per cent. They account for 25 per cent of the population aged 35 to 49, and the main incentives are sports games and online poker. In the age group 65 and above, casinos remain the main focus.
