France Moves Toward Loss Caps for Young Players
The new provisions on youth gambling restrictions have been included in France’s bill of reforms of professional sports. In the adopted text of the National Assembly, modifications have been made to the article L.320-11 of the Internal Security Code and losses were added to self-limitations.
A 2027 Rule Is Now in View
The text does not fix a national euro cap. Under the Assembly text, ANJ may, by reasoned decision, limit the amount of losses that players aged 18 to 25 can incur with authorised operators. The restriction would apply for a period set by the regulator, but not longer than one year.
Under the Assembly text, the provision would enter into force on 1 January 2027.
Young Players Face Tighter Changes
The bill also alters how soon younger bettors will be able to raise their own limits. Players aged 18 to 25 would be unable to adjust certain limits right away. Instead, they would have to wait out a period determined by decree. The text adopted specifies that this period could not be less than two weeks.
It is a practical point of compliance. Operators currently provide players with tools for deposit limits, stake limits, and self-exclusion. The text adds losses to the list and creates another risk group within the betting system.
The likely result is more delays when it comes to raising limits. Operators might be forced to pay attention to net losses instead of deposits or staking.
World Cup Pressure Adds Context
The timing makes it hard to miss. France is monitoring betting activities surrounding the 2026 World Cup. According to Toluna-Harris research commissioned by ANJ, 57% of French adults intended to follow the tournament. Among that group, 41% planned to place real-money bets on matches.
Younger adults scored above average in this regard. In the same study, 52% of the 18-24 age category and 54% of the 25-34 category among those who intended to watch the World Cup said they would place real-money bets.
The 2022 World Cup generated more than €900m in stakes in France, across online betting and retail points. ANJ said the 2026 tournament could reach around €1.2bn, depending on France’s run.
In this context, the loss-limiting provision takes on obvious political significance. Lawmakers are not attempting to outlaw sports betting in France. They intend to prevent quick losses among the youngest legal customers.
Part of a Broader Sports Package
The betting provision is part of a wider sports bill. The package also deals with matters related to the regulation of professional sports, anti-piracy, harassment of athletes by bettors, money-laundering cooperation, and advertising restrictions around sports broadcasts.
For operators in the gambling industry, the youth-loss measure is the one that affects players directly. It will likely push operators to segment player accounts more clearly by age.
France is moving toward a model where betting regulation is tied less to general warnings and more to enforceable account controls. The key question now is how often ANJ will use the new power once it becomes available. If the regulator applies it narrowly, this may become a targeted safety tool. If it applies it broadly, France could become one of Europe’s tougher markets for young-adult betting limits.