Concerns have been raised in France over the growing engagement and exposure of children to gambling products, content and advertising.

The warning follows a survey conducted by ARPEJ, the Association for Research and Prevention of Excessive Gambling, involving 5,000 French children aged 15 to 17.

The analysis was submitted to the Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), which has raised grave concerns over “the extent of gambling participation among minors.”

Despite strengthened compliance measures on ID-verification checks, the ANJ is alarmed that the 2025 findings detail that “four in 10 minors have gambled (42.6%)”, reflecting an increase of 7.8% compared to ARPEJ’s comparative 2021 study.

Headline findings note that “42.6% of 15–17-year-olds surveyed reported having gambled at least once in the 12 months preceding the study, nearly eight points higher than in 2021 (34.8%). Participation remains higher among boys (45.5%) than girls (39.6%).”

A breakdown points to significant liabilities within retail gambling channels. Some 34.3% of minors reported playing scratch cards, up from 27.3% in 2021, while 20% cited participation in national lottery draw games, compared to 17% previously.

In France, the minimum legal age to purchase national lottery tickets or any other gambling product is 18. Yet participant feedback suggests that scratch cards and lottery tickets were frequently purchased with the assistance of adults, underlining the central role of families in facilitating access.

Parental responsibility … or lack thereof

The survey exposes a structural weakness in enforcement, with 65% of young gamblers stating they accessed retail gambling through their parents. A further 36.9% admitted to using a parent’s online gambling account with permission, while 26.4% created a personal account with parental assistance.

The findings place parental responsibility squarely at the centre of the debate. French law prohibits the sale of gambling products to minors, but where adults act as intermediaries — whether by purchasing scratch cards or sharing verified online accounts — enforcement becomes materially diluted.

Regulatory observers note that liability does not end at the point of sale. The ANJ is expected to examine whether additional obligations or awareness measures aimed at parents are required, particularly as qualitative research cited by ARPEJ indicates that many adults perceive gambling as a harmless recreational activity, underestimating its risks for adolescents.

Non à la normalisation

Beyond access, advertising exposure remains a key driver of concern. The study found that 78.8% of 15–17-year-olds reported exposure to gambling advertising, rising to 85.1% among those who gamble.

Traditional media remains the primary channel of exposure (50.2%), followed by social media (43.8%) and retail outlets (39.6%). Influencer marketing also plays a material role, with three in ten young gamblers reporting exposure through influencer content.

While 63.6% of respondents reported seeing prevention messages in the past three months, regulators question whether such messaging can counterbalance the scale and frequency of commercial promotion.

ANJ wants cultural fix 

In response Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin, President of the ANJ, warned that the data signals a broader cultural shift: “The increase in gambling participation among minors is worrying,” she stated.

“It once again reflects a normalisation of gambling, whereas young people’s first encounter with these products should be delayed, not encouraged. We know that the earlier gambling begins, the greater the risk of addiction.”

Falque-Pierrotin signalled that liabilities and regulatory safeguards will now be examined more closely. The ANJ is expected to review enforcement of retail age-verification and current  advertising controls,  particularly across social media and during major sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup 2026 .