French gambling regulator warns operators against limiting sports bets

The French gambling regulator (ANJ) has moved to remind licensed operators of their responsibilities to accept and register bets from customers following a litany of grievances. Sports bettors have ramped up their complaints to the regulator regarding the refusal of operators to accept bets – either totally or partially – at advertised odds, with the ANJ revealing that 17% of referrals are related to the matter and increasing sharply. The frustration has led to the ANJ to provide an update on the legality of the matter following an October deliberation. The ANJ said: “An operator who offers the public an offer of online sports betting at odds cannot refuse or limit the bets of players who accept this offer, unless they have a legitimate reason.” The ANJ delivered three core reasons as to why operators cannot refuse bets in conjunction with commercial and consumer law in France. The first is that the act constitutes a refusal to provide a service to a consumer, which is prohibited by the consumer code, while also noting the refusal to provide a service is an expression of unfair commercial practice. Additionally, the ANJ said operators who offer bets to the public, but then refuse to register a wager at that price, could be charged with “deceptive commercial practice” under consumer code. The regulator said that operators may only refuse or limit a player’s bets for legitimate reasons, including preventing gambling harm and underaged gambling or fighting against money laundering. The ANJ noted that operators that continue to limit customer wagers without providing legitimate reasons will face consequences. The ANJ said: “Operators who persist in such practices of limiting wagering without justifying a legitimate reason are exposed to the initiation of proceedings before the sanctions commission of the National Gaming Authority.”