(AsiaGameHub) – By: Adrian Kingsley
Most European countries are rushing to ban iGaming advertising to win public approval. Few stop to ask if the ban actually works. The departing head of France’s national gambling regulator just laid out the hard truth.
France’s ANJ regulator takes a laxer approach than neighbors Italy, Spain and the Netherlands. A full ad ban was proposed shortly after Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin joined ANJ in 2020. She spoke out against the plan ahead of her June 15 departure as ANJ president. She cited Italy’s failed experiment with a full ban. Italy’s ban led directly to a surge in unregulated black market gambling. The Netherlands is currently weighing a full ban of its own. The country’s regulator and leading industry trade group both reject the plan. The trade group chair says a ban just leaves a vacuum that illegal operators fill. France charges a 15% tax on iGaming marketing spend. It exempts sports sponsorships to protect domestic sports teams.
Falque-Pierrotin does not support unregulated marketing of gambling. She warns influencer marketing has turned gambling into a commonplace product. Direct notifications, influencers and affiliates drive all new customer acquisition. It has become a normal part of daily life, especially for young people. It is now woven into young people’s digital culture. The exemption for sports sponsorships will push more gambling branding into public view. This could spark a major negative public reaction, just like in the UK. UK Premier League clubs already adopted a voluntary ban on gambling front-of-shirt sponsors. Falque-Pierrotin says legal operators must keep the right to advertise. This helps promote legal offerings and drive out illegal unregulated operators.
Regulatory policy for iGaming fails when it ignores basic market realities. Populist ad bans always end up boosting the black market they claim to eliminate.
Author bio: Adrian Kingsley, internationally renowned scholar of public administration specializing in global gambling regulation policy.