France’s national gambling regulator, the Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), has issued a proactive warning to sportsbooks and media partners ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
On February 13, 2026, the regulator expressed concerns that a significant surge in promotional spending could lead to the kind of advertising saturation it has spent years trying to curb. The ANJ is urging operators to maintain strict control over their marketing pressure and adhere to the budgets declared earlier this year.
Promotional Budgets Spike by 25%
This warning follows a comprehensive review of 2026 promotional strategies for the World Cup, conducted on January 9. The ANJ revealed that planned promotional spending for 2026 has reached €785 million, a staggering 25% increase (or €156 million) compared to 2025.
The breakdown of this total budget includes:
- Marketing Investment: €319 million
- Player Incentives & Bonuses: €466 million
Operators have justified this aggressive spending by citing a packed 2026 sports calendar, which includes both the Winter Olympics and the World Cup, alongside intensifying competition within the online market.
Hydration Breaks Create New Advertising Risks
The ANJ highlighted a unique risk for the upcoming World Cup: FIFA’s mandatory “hydration breaks” during matches. The regulator warned that these pauses will generate additional live advertising inventory, potentially increasing the frequency of betting promotions seen by viewers.
In response, the ANJ has explicitly requested that operators do not exploit this extra airtime to exceed their committed advertising intensity. As France continues its efforts to minimize public exposure to gambling ads, major tournaments remain a primary flashpoint for regulatory scrutiny.
