Pascal Chevremont Pledges Tough Line as New ANJ President
Jacob Mitchell 
Key Takeaways:
- Pascal Chevremont appointed ANJ president for six years.
- He pledges a tough compliance environment for online operators.
- ANJ will strengthen oversight and combat illegal gambling.
- French market sees growth, but online casino remains unregulated.
- New data protection guidelines issued for licensed operators.
Pascal Chevremont is set to become the next president of France's gambling regulator, Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), for a six-year term. He has indicated that online operators should anticipate a stringent compliance environment upon his assumption of office. Chevremont will succeed Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin, who has led the ANJ since its establishment in 2020.
Regulatory Stance and Illegal Gambling
Chevremont, currently with the General Economic and Financial Control (CGefi), outlined his intentions during his confirmation hearing before a National Assembly committee. He stated a commitment to strengthening state oversight of betting and gaming, alongside intensifying efforts against illegal gambling operators within France. He highlighted the prevalence of illegal gambling, noting, "A significant proportion of [gambling] is practised illegally. The primary directive of the framework is to protect players, and yet studies show a significant number of players are minors or have become addicted to gambling." Industry association AFJEL has previously warned that the number of French users accessing unlicensed betting sites increased by 35 per cent between 2020 and 2025, reaching 5.4 million, a trend licensed operators argue undermines consumer protection in the French gambling market.
Market Dynamics and Unregulated Online Casino
France's gambling market is one of Europe’s five largest, generating approximately €14bn (£12.1bn) in annual gross gaming revenue. Chevremont informed lawmakers that much of the sector's growth has stemmed from online activity. Despite this, France's digitalisation rate stands at 20 per cent, which he noted is "half the European average," and online casino gaming remains unregulated. He commented on the sector's expansion in relation to public health objectives, stating, "This is a sector that is growing, and yet the public health objective of preventing excessive gambling leads us to consider this growth within limits that have not been defined." The market has seen new operators, such as bet365, enter despite significant constraints, including a tax increase last year that raised online sports betting taxes from 54.9 to 59.3 per cent. A government proposal to legalise and regulate online casino gambling was previously shelved due to opposition from land-based casino operators.
ANJ's Operational Context
The Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) was established by an ordinance on October 2, 2019, and officially commenced operations in June 2020. The regulator operates with a board comprising seven members, presided over by its president. Prior to Chevremont's appointment, the ANJ issued new data protection guidelines last month. These guidelines, developed in collaboration with the National Commission for Information Technology and Civil Liberties (CNIL), clarify how General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) principles apply to the French gambling sector. The document targets all licensed gambling operators in France, encompassing online betting and poker platforms, casinos, gaming halls, and the legacy monopoly operators FDJ and PMU.
