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At a glance
| Full name | Autorité nationale des jeux, France |
|---|---|
| Regulator | Autorité nationale des jeux, Paris |
| Country | France |
| Since | 2010 as ARJEL; ANJ since 2020 |
| Covers | Sports betting, horse racing and poker on .fr domains; online casino is not permitted |
| Player funds | Segregated accounts, with ANJ approval of the operator’s financial guarantees |
| Complaints | Operator first, then the mediator appointed under the ANJ scheme |
| Self-exclusion | National register managed by the Ministry of the Interior, applied at every operator |
| Payout limit | The average return to players is capped at 85 percent by law |
| How to verify | ANJ seal and approval number in the footer; .fr domain; identity check by document within the first days |
What the licence actually enforces
France chose a short list of products and a heavy tax, then wrote rules to match: approved operators must cap their average payout, must verify identity with a document soon after registration and must submit odds and promotions to a framework that limits how much can be given away. Everything else is blocked by court order, and the ANJ publishes the list of sites it has had removed.
What it means for you
The upside is certainty: a French account is verified, protected and paid. The downside is price. With returns capped at 85 percent, French odds are the widest in Western Europe on the same matches, and bonuses are small and hedged with conditions. Football and horse racing are well covered; markets on other sports are thin next to the international sites.
How to check a site holds it
Look for the .fr domain and the ANJ approval in the footer, then check the list of approved operators on the authority’s site. A .com site offering casino games to a French audience is not approved.
Weak points
The 85 percent cap costs bettors money on every bet; product choice is narrow; and the market has few operators, so competition on price is limited.
Our tested bookmakers approved in France
Two of the twenty-two run an approved .fr site; our France page ranks them beside the French brands.
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Frequently asked questions
Why are French odds worse?
Because the law caps the average return to players at 85 percent; an operator that priced sharper would break the rule.
Is online casino legal in France?
No; only sports betting, horse racing and poker are approved online.
Can foreigners open a French account?
Only residents with a French address and bank account.