Prevention
Responsible gambling.
Betting should stay a pastime you control. This page brings together the warning signs, the moderation tools required under French regulation, and the free, confidential sources of help.
Warning signs
When it stops being a pastime.
A single one of these signs already deserves your attention. Several together call for outside help.
You stake more than you planned
The budget you set at the outset is regularly exceeded, or you raise your stakes to get the same feeling back.
You chase your losses
A loss is immediately followed by a fresh stake meant to make up for it. This is the most dangerous mechanism of all.
You borrow
You dip into essential money, borrow, or put off a bill in order to keep betting.
You hide it
You conceal your bets or losses from those close to you, or play down the amounts when asked.
It occupies your thoughts
You think about it at work, at night, with family. Time spent following fixtures eats into everything else.
Your mood depends on it
Irritability, anxiety or low mood when you cannot bet, or after a run of losses.
Tools
What every licensed operator must offer you.
Deposit and stake limits
Set from your account area. Lowering a limit takes effect immediately; raising one is subject to a cooling-off period imposed by regulation. Set them when you open the account, not after the first incident.
Temporary time-out
A break of a few days to several months can be requested directly from the operator. The account is frozen for the chosen period and cannot be reopened before it ends.
National gambling ban
Requested from the ANJ, it applies across every licensed operator in France, for a renewable three-year period. It is the most protective measure if control is slipping away from you.
Self-assessment
The ÉvaluJeu test, developed under the auspices of the public authorities, lets you take an objective look at your relationship with betting in a few minutes, anonymously.
Where to find help
Free, confidential contacts.
| Organisation | What it offers | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Joueurs Info Service | A listening ear, information and referral to a professional, in France | 09 74 75 13 13 · joueurs-info-service.fr |
| ÉvaluJeu | Anonymous self-assessment of your betting habits | evalujeu.fr |
| ANJ | The French regulator: register of licensed operators, gambling bans, mediation | anj.fr |
| GambleAware | Prevention resources and tools in English, an international reference | begambleaware.org |
| SOS Joueurs | Support for bettors and for their families | 09 80 80 90 09 |
Good practice
Six simple rules.
A budget set in advance
Decide the monthly amount before you bet, never during. That amount must be one you could lose in full without consequence.
Never to chase losses
A loss is a loss. Betting to make it back turns a pastime into a spiral.
Never borrowed money
No credit, no overdraft, no money earmarked for an essential expense.
Limited time
Set a weekly limit and stick to it, including during major tournaments.
Never under the influence
Alcohol, tiredness, anger or distress cloud judgement and blow through the limits you set yourself.
Talk about it
Isolation makes everything worse. Someone close to you, your GP or a helpline: the first word is the hardest.