ANJ launches online self-exclusion service in France

The Autorité Nationale des Jeux launched its updated self-exclusion platform this week. French gamblers can now request voluntary bans through the ‘interdiction de jeux’ website. The service uses dynamic selfie verification to confirm identities.

Players can ban themselves from all ANJ-regulated sites. Legal guardians can also request bans for people under their care. But you need proper legal documentation to ban someone else.

The database now holds over 85,000 registered users. That’s up from 40,000 when ANJ took control in 2021. This year alone saw 19,000 new registrations. The growth rate shows either increasing problems or better access to help.

Why France Strengthened Its Exclusion System

The numbers tell an interesting story. Registration jumped 25% in just two years.

Men make up 77% of all voluntary bans. The reasons vary significantly by age group. Older players mostly cite casino issues as their main concern. Younger registrants tend to mention sports betting problems instead.

Every ban covers casinos, gaming clubs, and ANJ-licensed online operators. The three-year minimum gives people real separation from gambling. After that period ends, they can request removal from the database. No exceptions exist to the minimum duration.

What the New Platform Changes

The digital service replaces older registration methods entirely. Players take a selfie that verifies their identity against official records. The system processes this automatically.

Registration takes effect immediately across all covered venues. Online operators get direct access to the database for real-time checks. Physical locations like casinos also verify against it before allowing entry.

ANJ now manages the entire exclusion database directly. They track registrations and monitor the system’s growth patterns. The regulator publishes regular statistics on usage and demographics.

How This Affects French Gambling Markets

Operators must check the database before accepting any player. A match means instant account closure or venue denial. There’s no appeals process during the active ban period.

The 2026 update will add personal account features for registered users. They can log in and track their ban status directly. They’ll see exactly when their three-year period ends and what steps come next.

This puts France ahead of many European markets on player protection tools. The dynamic selfie requirement is particularly strict compared to neighbours. Other countries mostly use simpler verification methods. ANJ’s approach makes it significantly harder to bypass the system or register under false information.