French audiences are once again being engaged with the award-winning responsible gambling campaign «Behind the Label». Recommissioned by l’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), France’s gambling authority, the campaign has returned to French television and multimedia platforms in the lead-up to Roland Garros — the country’s Grand Slam tennis tournament currently taking place in Paris.
A key initiative of the ANJ’s ‘action plan’ to convey a greater awareness of gambling risks to the French public, Behind the Label was launched in June 2024, to coincide with France’s epic summer of sports featuring the UEFA Euro and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Developed in collaboration with the French Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (OFDT), the campaign highlights stark national statistics on gambling harm.
In 2024, OFDT estimated 1.17 million people in France were problem gamblers, including 360,000 at an excessive level. Sports betting in particular was singled out as a major risk, with the rate of excessive gambling (5.9%) found to be six times higher than for lottery games.
The «Behind the Label» campaign brings these issues to life using the voices of real individuals affected by gambling harm. The advertisements repurpose legally mandated disclaimers on betting ads – often overlooked by viewers – into powerful, personal messages that detail the human consequences of addiction.
This year’s campaign has been adapted to reflect the Roland Garros tournament, with visuals and messaging tailored to resonate with tennis audiences. The ANJ’s ongoing efforts also include encouraging players to make use of tools such as Evalujeu, an online service that helps individuals assess their gambling behaviour and access personalised advice to stay in control.
The relaunch also comes under a stricter regulatory framework. Since early 2024, all licensed online gambling operators in France are required to submit their marketing strategies to the ANJ every six months. The rule was introduced to demystify the scale and content of gambling advertising and mitigate its influence on vulnerable individuals.
By coupling high-profile sporting events with hard-hitting public health messaging, the ANJ seeks to maintain momentum on its campaign to make gambling safer and more transparent across France.
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