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France’s ANJ appoints Sophie Namer to lead new crackdown unit whilst pushing whistle-to-whistle advertising bans ahead of 2026 World Cup.
France’s gambling regulator just got serious about enforcement by appointing Sophie Namer to head its brand new Directorate of Enforcement. The Autorité Nationale des Jeux created the enforcement department on July 11 to strengthen enforcement actions and the fight against the supply of illegal gambling across French territory.
Administrative magistrate Namer brings six years of experience from the Administrative Courts of Limoges and Toulouse, where she served as rapporteur and public rapporteur. She’ll work alongside deputy director Jérôme Labarbe to target unlicensed operators who’ve been exploiting gaps in French gambling regulation.
Key gambling regulation developments:
- New enforcement department targets illegal gambling operations
- Whistle-to-whistle ban on gambling advertisements proposed for World Cup
- Data and innovation department created to monitor gambling markets
- Pauline Hot replaces long-serving director general at ANJ
French gambling enforcement gets dedicated leadership team
Sophie Namer’s appointment signals France will escalate action against operators who break gambling laws.
The ANJ restructured its entire organisation to put gambling enforcement at the centre of everything it does. Sophie Namer’s background as an administrative magistrate shows the French gambling regulator wants someone who understands how to use legal tools effectively against illegal gambling operations.
The timing couldn’t be better. France’s gambling market research shows illegal operators generated between €748 million and €1.5 billion in tax-free revenue in early 2023. These criminals steal customers from licensed operators whilst offering no player protection or responsible gambling tools.
ANJ president Pauline Hot replaced Rémi Latastem in July after five years in charge. Hot previously served as deputy director general since January and brings experience from the Council of State, where she worked as rapporteur to both litigation and administration sections.
The French gambling regulator also created a new Directorate of Data, Markets and Innovation to monitor the French gambling market and oversee the JONUM innovation programme. This department will help identify new ways to use data in the sector, giving gambling regulators better tools to spot illegal gambling activity.
Gambling advertising restrictions target sports broadcasts
France copies successful whistle-to-whistle restrictions that reduced gambling advertisement exposure to children.
The ANJ proposed a whistle-to-whistle ban on gambling advertisements during sports broadcasts ahead of the next World Cup. The restriction would mirror voluntary initiatives introduced by the Betting and Gaming Council in Britain in 2019 and more recently by the Irish Bookmakers Association.
These measures prohibit gambling ads during sports broadcasts starting from five minutes before until five minutes after the end of coverage. UK reports showed significant reductions in the ads seen by children after the whistle-to-whistle ban was introduced.
French gambling regulation already forces its four largest gambling operators to reduce their marketing and sponsorship spending following a directive issued in January. The ANJ banned gambling operators from using images of athletes popular with minors in gambling advertisements in 2023.
The French gambling regulator wants to use the 2026 FIFA World Cup as a platform for a major responsible gambling campaign, stating that cultural changes are finally necessary and the World Cup offers a good opportunity for a large-scale campaign.
ANJ enforcement actions show serious regulatory intent
France’s enforcement statistics reveal the new department will have substantial work targeting rule-breakers.
The ANJ has already demonstrated serious gambling enforcement intent through tough regulatory actions. The French gambling regulator imposed an €800,000 fine on Unibet in January 2025 for major failures in its self-exclusion system that let banned players continue gambling.
Last year alone, the ANJ issued nine sanctions with fines reaching €150,000, blocked 1,335 unlicensed URLs, and launched 231 administrative actions. The gambling regulator also started freezing financial transactions linked to illegal operators, showing willingness to cut off money supply to criminal gambling operations.
France aims to cut gambling addiction significantly by 2026, with the ANJ targeting measurable reductions in both problem gamblers and the percentage of operator revenues from this group. The voluntary self-exclusion register now lists 85,000 individuals, more than double since 2021.
Sophie Namer’s appointment as enforcement chief represents a clear escalation in France’s fight against illegal gambling. With new legal powers, dedicated staff, and political backing, the Directorate of Enforcement will test whether tougher action can finally shut down criminals who’ve been stealing from France’s regulated gambling market.
Source: Focus Gaming News
