The French gaming authority, L’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), has fined Unibet France € 800,000 due to significant shortcomings in its self-exclusion mechanism. The sanction comes after a lengthy investigation into the operator’s handling of player protection measures, which revealed that thousands of self-excluded individuals were improperly granted access to gambling services.
Self-Exclusion Failures
Unibet’s French operation, handled by SPS Betting France, suffered a serious technical malfunction between March 2021 and December 2022. During this time, its self-exclusion system failed to function correctly. The failure primarily affected users accessing Unibet via iOS devices.
The flaw caused incorrect self-exclusion periods. This allowed players, who had self-excluded for months or even a year, to resume gambling within a few days. ANJ’s investigation revealed that some self-excluded users resumed gambling only 12 days after requesting a 12-month exclusion.
Repeated Failures and Unibet’s Response
Unibet recognised and resolved the issue in December 2022. However, the same technical fault reappeared between December 29, 2022, and February 2023. This resulted in further breaches, again allowing excluded players to regain access.
Unibet acknowledged the issue and stated it was a technical failure rather than an intentional oversight. ANJ concluded the company failed to implement adequate precautions to prevent a recurrence of the malfunction.
€800,000 Fine
In January 2025, ANJ’s Sanctions Committee examined the case and confirmed Unibet’s inability to maintain player protection standards justified a substantial financial penalty. The committee imposed an €800,000 fine, among the highest issued by the French regulator in recent years.
The regulator has stated that gambling operators must ensure flawless self-exclusion systems. Any failures that allow at-risk players to bypass these protective measures will result in strict regulatory action.
What This Means for the Industry
The case highlights the increasing regulatory scrutiny on gambling operators across Europe. France, like the UK and other EU countries, has implemented stricter regulations on gambling operators. This aims to ensure that responsible gaming policies are effectively enforced. The ANJ has announced that it will closely monitor compliance. Additionally, it has advised operators to improve their self-exclusion measures to avoid facing similar penalties.
Unibet faces a major setback as it seeks to expand its presence in the French market. The company must restore trust by demonstrating its commitment to player protection and responsible gambling systems.