ANJ: France’s Gambling Mediator Recorded an 11% Increase in Requests

L’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) has published information about the performance of France’s gambling mediator. According to the French authority, the mediator received a total of 1,523 requests in 2023, marking an increase of 11% year-on-year.

The mediator is responsible for helping players and operators reach amicable settlements to disputes that may arise within the gambling sector. While its proposals have no binding effect, the mediator seeks to propose solutions that work for all parties.

In 2023, 91% of all mediation requests were related to sports betting, ANJ’s official data shows.

In addition, 752 of the requests were declared inadmissible. According to the ANJ, the inadmissibility of 89% of all inadmissible requests was due to the absence of a prior written complaint. For context, players must first contact the operator they are working with before reaching out to the mediator.

In the meantime, the mediator processed 754 files. The average processing time was 31 days, which is well below the maximum time outlined in the Consumer Code (90 days).

The mediator said that roughly a third of the requests received partial or total satisfaction.

The Mediator’s Advice

In its 2023 report, France’s gambling mediator issued four recommendations to gambling operators. The mediator advised gambling companies to reimburse players’ accounts balances in case of account closures due to suspected fraud.

While the mediator acknowledged that fraud can legitimize account closure, it added that operators do not have the authority to confiscate players’ deposits. Additionally, the mediator advised gambling operators to present customers with justification for their decision to close their accounts.

The second recommendation was to remove certain clauses from their Terms and Conditions. This includes clauses that allow operators to cancel bets in the event of successive bets on the same selection within a short period of time. The mediator said that the legality of this provision is still debated which is why it is better off removed from companies’ T&Cs.

The mediator also advised operators to inform players before closing their accounts due to inactivity. In order to avoid referral to the mediator, gambling companies should inform players of the upcoming closure of their account at least 11 months in advance, it was suggested.

Finally, the mediator said that operators should do their best to prevent excessive gambling if they are to avoid referrals.

The ANJ and the mediator reiterated their commitment to supporting players and keeping them informed.