ANJ Reveals Shocking Truth: 60% of France’s Online Gambling Revenue Driven by High-Risk Players

France’s gambling regulator, the Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), has released alarming data revealing that 60% of the country’s online gambling revenue is generated by players exhibiting signs of excessive gambling behavior. The findings, based on a sophisticated risk-scoring algorithm, have intensified scrutiny over the industry’s profit models and their reliance on vulnerable users.

The ANJ’s analysis identified approximately 600,000 account-based gamblers in the second half of 2025 who displayed high probabilities of excessive play. These players, representing just 8.7% of all regulated accounts, generated €1.2 billion in gross gaming revenue—equivalent to 60% of the total market revenue for the monitored period. The data challenges the industry’s assertion that most revenue comes from recreational users, instead highlighting a dangerous concentration of profits among potentially at-risk players.

ANJ’s Risk Detection Algorithm

The ANJ’s tool, developed using continuous account-level data from licensed online operators, FDJ, and PMU, evaluates 23 risk indicators. These include financial movements, usage of gambling limits, frequency and intensity of play, and player history. Each player is assigned a score and categorized into four groups: recreational, moderate risk, excessive, or manifestly excessive.

Of particular concern, 300,000 players were classified as ‘manifestly excessive,’ a category the ANJ urges operators to prioritize for intervention. The regulator also noted that the number of excessive players is rising faster than the overall player base, with their share of operator revenue climbing steadily since 2023.

The algorithm, validated against the Canadian Problem Gambling Index and overseen by a scientific committee, marks the first such tool available in Europe. While similar initiatives are underway in Spain and the Netherlands, France’s model is already in action, providing a benchmark for operators to meet their legal obligations in identifying and supporting vulnerable customers.

However, the data also reveals a significant gap in operator compliance. While operators flagged 89,000 excessive gamblers in 2025—up from 31,000 in 2024—the ANJ’s algorithm suggests the true number is far higher. This discrepancy raises serious questions about the effectiveness of current risk detection measures and the industry’s commitment to responsible gambling practices.