ANJ mobilises amateur clubs against betting
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13 Feb 2026 •
Reading time: 3 minutes Faced with the rise in sports betting and the preconceived ideas that surround it, the National Gaming Authority (ANJ) is launching a prevention campaign. With the support of fourteen amateur clubs, the institution aims to raise awareness of the risks associated with gambling and promote a responsible sporting culture.
A grassroots initiative to reach sports enthusiasts as closely as possible
In changing rooms, on municipal pitches or after training sessions, a new message is now being circulated in a number of amateur clubs. The National Gaming Authority (NGA) has chosen to work directly with local associations to raise awareness among players, supervisors and families of the risks associated with betting.
Fourteen amateur clubs were selected to take part in this initiative. All received shirts with prevention slogans and gift cards. But behind this material support lies a much broader objective: to make these clubs relays of information and vigilance. Rather than limiting prevention to institutional campaigns, the authorities prefer to invest in the places where sporting culture is built up, where young people learn, identify with their elders and develop their relationship with the game and competition.
Combating preconceived ideas that trivialise betting
At the heart of the operation is a simple observation: sports betting is still associated with a number of erroneous beliefs. Some of these beliefs are tenacious, sometimes even perceived as harmless in the sporting environment.
The ANJ intends to tackle these preconceived ideas head-on by spreading two key messages:
- ‘Sports betting is never done before the age of 18.’
- ‘You can’t make a living from sports betting: chance is part of the game’.
This initiative reflects a change in approach to the risks associated with gambling in sport. Rather than restricting its approach to prohibition or sanctions, the ANJ is taking an educational approach. Amateur sport is often the first place where sporting values are learned: respect for rules, a taste for effort, team spirit. Introducing prevention at this stage is tantamount to placing the issue of betting within an existing ethical framework.
The key role of educators and supervisors
Educators play a central role in this system. On the front line with sportsmen and women, they are often the first to spot misunderstandings or speeches idealising betting.
Thanks to the support offered, clubs have the tools to structure this vigilance without transforming their sporting mission into a mission of control. Rather, it is a question of adding an educational dimension to their usual role.
The operation also relies on the contribution of several partners. The HOMERUN agency is behind the prevention messages, designed to be both memorable and understandable to all. The SportEasy platform is supporting the implementation of the initiative, facilitating its roll-out to the clubs concerned.
By relying on fourteen amateur clubs, the ANJ is making the opposite bet to the one it is fighting against: that of prevention through proximity, education through practice and dialogue through example.