The National Gaming Authority (ANJ) has analysed and approved operators’ promotional strategies for 2026. It has imposed new constraints to limit the increase in advertising budgets and reduce the risks associated with overexposure of players.
A significant increase in advertising budgets
At its meeting on 9 January 2026, the ANJ college unveiled the broad outlines of its review of gambling operators’ promotional strategies. The figures show that industry players are going on the offensive: advertising investment for 2026 is expected to reach around €785 million, an increase of 25% compared with 2025. This increase includes both marketing expenditure and the financial rewards offered to players. Operators justify this increase by a particularly busy calendar of major sporting events, which represent high-visibility opportunities for their offerings.
The review also highlighted some important trends in advertising practices. While digital media continue to dominate spending (accounting for almost 44% of the total), their share is no longer increasing as rapidly as in the past, giving way to a re-composition of the channels used. Television and radio sponsorship, long in the minority due to high costs, is experiencing an upward trend, at a time when operators are seeking to diversify their points of contact with the public.
At the same time, the budget for financial incentives (bonuses, discounts, various promotions) is also increasing significantly (+23%), accounting for almost 60% of the total budget. These rewards are mainly intended to build loyalty among existing players and encourage the use of different forms of gaming within the same operator.
What are the requirements for 2026?
For the first time, all operators must strictly adhere to the overall budget they have announced, without being able to exceed it or reallocate funds from one item to another without justification. The aim of this measure is to prevent advertising expenditure from spiralling out of control, in particular through internal transfers that could further increase the intensity of communication.
At the end of the analysis, the ANJ attached a number of specific conditions to its approval. For some operators, the regulator asked them to reduce the budgets allocated to certain forms of marketing, such as campaigns on social networks, or to show moderation in setting up sports partnerships. One company was also told to significantly reduce its spending on incentives to retain players.
Protection of minors and vulnerable groups at the heart of concerns
Since the reform of gambling regulation, the ANJ has placed particular emphasis on the protection of minors and people at risk of excessive gambling. Each promotional strategy must be analysed in the light of these imperatives.
With this in mind, the regulator is also reaffirming certain proposals already made in the past to go further in terms of supervision, such as the introduction of a ‘whistle to whistle’ ban on television (banning sports betting advertising for five minutes before, during and after a match), tighter control of sponsorship, and the introduction of loss limits for young people aged 18 to 25. These measures are designed to reduce the impact of advertising messages on the populations most at risk.
Tighter controls and renewed dialogue with operators
The ANJ is also announcing specific controls to check compliance with announced budgets. This proactive approach could also be deployed in cooperation with the Autorité de Régulation Professionnelle de la Publicité (ARPP), in particular to scrutinise the content of new advertising throughout the year, especially during periods of high media exposure such as the World Cup.
Faced with a significant increase in advertising investment for 2026, the National Gaming Authority has decided to impose unprecedented constraints on operators to limit the risks of overexposure, protect vulnerable audiences and provide a framework for advertising which, without strict safeguards, could encourage excessive behaviour.