French Addiction Network Pushes for Sports Betting Crackdown Ahead of World Cup
As millions of fans prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, one of France’s largest addiction support networks is pushing lawmakers to slow the rapid expansion of sports betting and overhaul the way gambling is promoted across the country.
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The timing is no accident.
The last World Cup triggered a betting frenzy in France, with online wagers approaching €600 million during the tournament. That figure was more than half again as large as the amount staked during the previous edition. With another month-long football spectacle about to begin, concerns about the social cost of that growth are resurfacing.
The French addiction support organization Fédération Addiction has put forward 15 proposals that would significantly tighten the rules governing sports betting. Among them are bans on gambling sponsorships in sport, restrictions on advertising during live matches, an end to promotional bonuses designed to encourage further betting, and a prohibition on athletes and other sporting figures appearing in betting promotions.
Betting Becomes Part of the Match
For addiction specialists, the issue extends beyond gambling itself.
They argue that betting companies have become deeply embedded in modern sports culture through sponsorship deals, advertising campaigns, social media marketing and partnerships with well-known athletes. The result, they contend, is that wagering is increasingly presented as a natural extension of watching sport rather than a separate activity carrying financial risks.
Particular concern is focused on younger audiences. Fédération Addiction believes marketing efforts increasingly target young men, including those from economically disadvantaged communities, who have become a key growth market for betting operators.
The organization also points to evidence suggesting many teenagers are already being exposed to gambling products despite legal restrictions that prohibit minors from participating.
Its proposal goes beyond advertising limits. The group wants France to halt any further expansion of the sports betting sector until stronger prevention programs, treatment services and consumer protections are established.
A Small Group Drives Much of the Industry
The debate is being fueled by figures from France’s gambling regulator, which suggest a large share of industry revenue comes from players showing signs of problematic gambling behavior.
Regulatory estimates indicate that around 600,000 people are highly likely to be gambling excessively. Despite representing a minority of players, they account for roughly 60% of gross gaming revenue.
The numbers become even more striking when viewed against the size of the market. During the second half of 2025 alone, France’s gambling sector generated €2 billion in gross gaming revenue. Around €1.2 billion came from players categorized as high risk.
For treatment providers, those figures suggest that industry growth and gambling-related harm may be becoming increasingly linked.
Professionals working in addiction services report seeing more people seeking help for gambling problems, while warning that prevention and support programs have not expanded at the same pace as the market itself. The consequences can stretch far beyond financial losses, touching mental health, family relationships, employment and, in some cases, criminal activity linked to debt.
Calls for Tougher Enforcement
The proposed reforms would also give regulators stronger powers to punish operators that target vulnerable consumers or market gambling as a way to make money.
Fédération Addiction is urging the government to treat gambling harm as a broader public policy issue rather than a matter confined to the betting industry. Its recommendations call for coordinated action involving health authorities, schools and youth services.
The pressure comes despite France already being one of Europe’s most heavily taxed gambling markets. Online sports betting operators face public levies equivalent to 59.3% of gross gaming revenue, while land-based betting is taxed at 42.1%.
Yet the market continues to attract major operators. The recent entry of bet365 has reinforced the perception that France remains commercially attractive despite strict taxation and existing advertising controls.
Questions about the relationship between football and gambling advertising have surfaced elsewhere in recent weeks. Reports in French media indicated that members of the national team, including Kylian Mbappé and Rayan Cherki, sought intervention from the French Football Federation after training-camp images were allegedly used by betting operator Betclic without prior authorization.
With World Cup betting volumes expected to surge again, the dispute is no longer centered on whether sports betting should exist. The argument now focuses on how visible it should be, who should be allowed to promote it, and how much responsibility the industry should bear for the growing number of players falling into difficulty.
Source: news.worldcasinodirectory.com
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