Illegal gambling sites are booming in France
•
31 Aug 2024 •
Reading time: 2 minutes The French Online Gambling Association AFJEL has expressed its great concern about the resurgence of scams and deep fakes specifically targeting illegal online casino sites.
Despite the fact that online gambling is prohibited in France many French players are unaware of this. This lack of knowledge is being exploited by criminals. Particularly through the use of misleading advertisements and fraudulent practices that mainly affect French players.
Deep Fake video of Alain Delon misleads millions of French players
A recent example of this scam is a deep fake video in which the image of the famous and recently deceased French actor Alain Delon was manipulated to promote an illegal online casino. This video in which artificial intelligence was used to exploit Delon’s image after his death went viral. And was viewed by more than 2 million French people. This incident underlines the seriousness of the situation and the advanced techniques that criminals use to deceive players.
Illegal gambling market surpasses legal market for the first time
The illegal online gambling market in France has experienced worrying growth in recent years. For the first time since the opening of the regulated online gambling sector in 2010 the number of players on the illegal market which now reaches 4 million has overtaken the legal market. Which has 3.6 million players. This explosive growth exposes millions of French players to significant risks including problems withdrawing winnings and a lack of protection against cybercrime.
Dangers of illegal gambling sites
A recent survey by AFJEL shows that a third of players on illegal online casino sites have experienced problems withdrawing their winnings. These sites, often located abroad, operate without supervision or protection measures. This leaves French players vulnerable to data theft, cybercrime and an increase in gambling addiction. Operators of legal online gambling sites stress that protecting players is their priority. And warn of the risks associated with gambling on illegal sites.
Blocking illegal gambling sites is impossible
Despite the efforts of the French government and regulators, effectively blocking illegal gambling sites remains a challenge. This has resulted in France now having the largest illegal online gambling market in Europe. AFJEL advocates stricter and adapted regulation of online casinos.
Similar to the measures introduced in 2010 for other online gambling activities. Only through such measures can the illegal market be reduced in the long term. And can French players be protected from the dangers of illegal gambling.