Advertisements for sports betting are everywhere, sometimes to the point of saturation: on television, in metro corridors and now increasingly on the internet and on social networks. In France, almost half of operator investments (48%) are now in digital.
>> “I play, so there is nothing to do”: how sports betting sites target young people from working-class neighborhoods
In an attempt to stem the excesses, the United Kingdom has taken a radical initiative: from October 1, no athlete can appear in an advertisement promoting a betting company. A major step forward for some associations. “Exposure to advertising and the mechanisms that encourage consumption are closely linked to the images we see and in particular if there are human characters, analyzes Bernard Basset, the president of the association Addictions France. The strength of the publicity is all the more important as the people represented are very well known.”
“It’s clear that if you represent a footballer like Kylian Mbappé, all young people will identify and tend to play.”
Bernard Bassettat franceinfo
In France, this question is not yet topical. The National Gaming Authority (ANJ) unveiled recommendations last February. It also negotiates a charter of good conduct with the 17 approved operators. It should be signed by the end of October to avoid repeating the excesses of the last Euro football with intrusive advertising and sometimes outside the nails. The ambition is clearly displayed: to reduce advertising pressure. “What we recommend, for example, is that an Internet user should not be exposed more than three times by an operator to an advertisement on gambling, details Christel Fiorina, Director of Markets, Compliance and Player Protection at the ANJ. It is also necessary to work on more responsible practices of the influencers and ambassadors of these sites, not to let believe for example that one will inevitably earn money. Operators have every interest in reaching these good conduct agreements rather than being exposed to an unfavorable decision from the ANJ.”
Its turnover increased by 22% in 2020, the players are more and more numerous, including minors while it is prohibited by law. A recent survey, in partnership with the ANJ, reveals that more than a third of 15-17 year olds questioned gamble, with an increased risk of becoming addicted. It is six times larger for minors. “Online sports betting is very easy to do physically and can generate what is called behavioral addictionwarns Bernard Basset of the association Addictions France. It is legitimate to draw a parallel between addictions with products (alcohol or tobacco) and addictions to games.
The association calls for the equivalent, for sports betting, of the Evin law, but a total or targeted ban on advertising as in Italy or Belgium is counterproductive, according to the ANJ. “Prohibiting official advertising will not prevent you from having unlicensed operators who start doing unofficial advertising and who make their offer known to the detriment of the legal offer”argues Christel Fiorina.
“The position of the ANJ is to have a pragmatic policy, we put in place recommendations and we will carry out checks if necessary.”
Christel Fiorinaat franceinfo
According to the forecasts of the ANJ, the next World Cup in Qatar will be the sporting event where the stakes on the internet will be the most important: at least 530 million euros. This is 70% more compared to the previous World Cup in Russia.