France Moves Toward Youth Loss Limits for Sports Betting

France’s National Assembly has approved amendments that could introduce mandatory betting loss limits for customers aged between 18 and 25.

The measure forms part of the country’s Professional Sports Bill, which aims to strengthen athlete protections, improve sports governance and introduce tighter financial controls. Under the proposed rules, licensed sportsbooks would be required to apply a separate loss cap to younger customers.

The legislation does not yet specify the maximum amount players would be allowed to lose. The final threshold will be set by the French government through secondary regulation after consultation with the national gambling regulator, the Autorité Nationale des Jeux.

Former ANJ President Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin supported the proposal, citing research showing strong betting participation among younger adults. According to the regulator, around two-thirds of people under 25 in France have placed a sports bet.

The bill also includes measures designed to tackle illegal sports streaming and protect domestic broadcasting rights. Figures from the Association for the Protection of Sports Programmes suggest that 59% of France’s estimated 9.9 million football fans have used pirated platforms.

France could become the second competitive regulated gambling market in Europe, after the Netherlands, to introduce mandatory loss limits specifically for young adults. The UK currently applies a £2 maximum stake for online slots played by customers aged 18 to 24, but France’s proposal would cover total betting losses rather than stakes on one product.

The reform will now continue through the parliamentary process before it can become law.