France's gambling regulator ANJ launched a public awareness campaign on Thursday, warning of the risks of addiction due to the surge in sports betting during the World Cup. This move is not unfounded—a survey conducted by Toluna-Harris Interactive from May 19 to 21 on 1071 French adults showed that 41% of respondents planning to watch the World Cup indicated they would bet real money during the event, a proportion that exceeds previous tournament records. According to the PASA website, ANJ estimates that the betting amount for the 2026 World Cup could climb to about €1.2 billion, far exceeding the €900+ million from the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Survey profile: Men and young people are the most impulsive
57% of respondents said they would follow this World Cup, with 71% of men, 71% of those aged 18-24, and 69% of those aged 25-34. 51% of viewers plan to engage in "friendly bets" (not involving money) with family and friends, but the willingness to bet real money is on the rise. Among men, 49% plan to bet, with 52% of those aged 18-24 and 54% of those aged 25-34. The betting intention among high socio-economic status groups (49%) is also higher than that of low-status groups (35%). Most concerning is the risk perception data—83% of respondents recognize the risks of addiction and dependency in sports betting, and 19% know someone who has lost control over gambling. Among active sports bettors, 37% reported feeling out of control in the past year, with the figure soaring to 67% among the 18-24 age group. The French Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction estimates that by 2024, about 1.17 million people in France will exhibit problematic gambling behavior, with approximately 360,000 classified as excessive gamblers.
Call for advertising control: 82% support a ban 5 minutes before and after the game
35% of respondents have recently seen sports betting ads, with higher recall rates among young people and football followers. Television remains the dominant advertising medium, followed by the internet and social networks. Public support for tightening advertising controls is quite high: 77% support broadcasters and operators committing to ban gambling ads during the 3-minute halftime break, and 82% support a comprehensive ban on gambling ads 5 minutes before kickoff, during the game, and 5 minutes after the final whistle. These figures provide a clear public opinion basis for regulatory actions.
ANJ's creative action: Yellow caution tape enters public spaces
One week before the World Cup kickoff, ANJ launched a prevention campaign developed in collaboration with the creative agency LIBRE. The campaign transforms the traditional yellow legal banner in gambling ads into a striking "risk area" visual—yellow caution tape frames a living room setup in public spaces, where actors reenact stages of gambling addiction: continuously increasing losses, attempting to break even, agitation, and withdrawal. The campaign slogan "Excessive gambling is entering a risk area" guides viewers to visit the Evalujeu website for personalized assessments and support resources. ANJ President Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin stated: "As the World Cup approaches, we are entering a risk area—more games mean more ads and betting opportunities, while the number of problem gamblers and their contribution to operator revenues are on the rise. The survey highlights the growth in betting intentions in terms of volume and value, as well as the high vulnerability of young gamblers. All these reasons are sufficient for ANJ to raise its voice."
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