France Advances Betting Loss Caps for Under-25s

France Advances Betting Loss Caps for Under-25s

France's National Assembly adopted legislation on June 29, 2026, that gives the country's gambling regulator the power to cap losses for bettors aged 18 to 25. The measure is part of a wider bill on the organization, management, and financing of professional sport, and marks the first time French law has explicitly treated betting losses, rather than only deposits or stakes, as a limitable category.

The amendment, contained in Article 10 quater of the bill, updates Article L. 320-11 of the Code de la sécurité intérieure to give the Autorité Nationale des Jeux, France's gambling regulator known as the ANJ, authority to set loss limits for the 18 to 25 age group for periods of up to one year through a reasoned decision.

No Threshold Set Yet

Lawmakers left the exact loss cap undefined. The French government will determine the figure through secondary legislation after formally consulting the ANJ, meaning operators will not know the practical impact until that process concludes.

Outgoing ANJ president Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin backed the measure before leaving office, citing regulatory research showing that roughly two-thirds of French adults under 25 have placed sports bets. The bill also blocks any increase in gambling limits for this age group unless a minimum period, to be set by decree and lasting at least two weeks, has passed, a provision intended to prevent impulsive attempts to raise personal limits.

Pascal Chèvremont has since taken over as ANJ president, replacing Falque-Pierrotin after her five-year term, and will oversee the regulator's role in defining the eventual cap alongside broader gambling advertising controls.

France Would Join a Small Group of Regulators

If finalized, the loss cap would place France among a limited number of European jurisdictions applying age-specific financial controls to gambling. The Netherlands introduced distinct loss limits for under-25 bettors in October 2024, and Norway applies spending controls through its state-owned operator, Norsk Tipping. The United Kingdom took a narrower approach, introducing a £2 maximum stake for online slot games played by customers aged 18 to 24 in May 2025.

France's proposed model extends further than the UK's, applying controls to losses across betting activity rather than restricting stakes within a single product category.

Piracy Crackdown Also on the Table

The bill's gambling provisions have drawn most public attention, but they sit alongside measures targeting audiovisual piracy. Industry groups say unauthorized streaming has become deeply embedded in how French fans watch football, with data from the Association for the Protection of Sports Programmes showing that 59% of France's roughly 9.9 million football supporters have accessed pirated streams.

Backers of the bill argue that stronger piracy enforcement is necessary to protect the value of domestic media rights deals that clubs and leagues increasingly depend on financially.

What Happens Next

The loss-limit threshold will only be finalized once the ANJ completes its consultation with the government. With new ANJ leadership now in place and the World Cup approaching, the coming months are expected to bring further clarity on how strict France's youth betting controls will ultimately be, and whether other European regulators follow its lead.