L’Autorite National des Jeux (ANJ), France’s unified gambling regulator, has devised a new set of advertising rules and standards for French online gambling operators.
The new ‘Four Commitment Charter’, introduced for the 2022 FIFA World Cup which starts in Qatar on November 20, has been designed to ‘de-intensify’ gambling advertisements across TV, radio, display and digital marketing.
This follows a consultation earlier this year with France’s professional advertising regulatory authority (Autorité de Régulation Professionnelle de la Publicité – ARPP) and audiovisual communication regulator (Autorité de régulation de la communication audiovisuelle et numérique – ARCOM), to establish new rules for gambling operators.
Endorsed by ARCOM, the ANJ has revised existing rules on TV and radio ad-breaks that will be limited to a maximum of three advertising slots allowed for gambling content, which previously stood at four slots.
The new charter has been accepted by a number of French online gambling operators after ANJ previously criticised the ‘oversaturation of adverts’ witnessed during the UEFA Euro 2020 Championships.
“Following Euro 2020, the ANJ initiated an ambitious action plan to moderate the content of advertisements for gambling and the advertising pressure to which the public is exposed, “ explained ANJ President Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin.
“A few days before the start of the World Cup, the signing of these charters in a spirit of co-regulation is a strong signal from all the players concerned to promote responsible advertising.
“The period ahead of us is crucial because it will allow everyone to verify that advertising in the gambling sector has changed and that the commitments made are respected. The implementation of these four charters will be subject to annual monitoring by the ANJ.”
French operators will adopt a ‘new charter for display advertising’ to significantly reduce the coverage of gambling ads in public areas such as train stations and metros whilst also banning adverts from being near schools and other academic institutions.
The fourth segment of the charter brings all licensed operators and advertising professionals who are members of the Digital Alliance to observe new rules on digital advertising.
The pact is recognised as a “major sectoral agreement signed by operators”, who have pledged to “better control the commercial communications of operators published on social networks, platforms, mobile applications, websites, as well as those of influencers and ambassadors.”
The publishing of the new advertising charter sees the ANJ complete its 2022 agenda of regulatory reforms.
Meanwhile, ANJ recently announced a new look sanctions commission, appointed to impose penalties on operators over malpractice.
