The French National Gambling Authority (ANJ) issued a formal warning against prediction markets on February 24, 2026, and stated that they classify them as illegal gambling.
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ANJ warns against gambling ads ahead of the FIFA World Cup
The French gambling regulator, Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), has issued a warning against increased gambling advertising during the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026.
In 2025, gambling operators spent 8% less on marketing than the ANJ had expected after increasing the gambling tax in France; however, the regulator has noticed a 25% rise in gambling companies’ marketing budgets as the tournament is scheduled to take place during the summer of 2026.
The concerns rose as a result of FIFA introducing new “hydration breaks”, which are player welfare measures requiring a mandatory three-minute break 22 minutes into each half of the game to let players hydrate. For FIFA, this means more advertising time, as the ANJ fears this could increase the exposure to betting promotions.
The ANJ stated:
“In this context, in order to prevent any risk of advertising overexposure and the development of excessive gaming practices, the ANJ asks all operators not to exceed the announced budgets.”
ADMTV, the French advertising union, already confirmed that one broadcaster has chosen not to sell gambling ad slots during the new breaks and will follow ANJ’s advertising standards.
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