The argument over football betting advertising has moved from the tournament screens to France’s streets and stations. The French Online Gaming Association (AFJEL) has rejected claims that World Cup 2026 campaigns were deliberately aimed at young people in working-class suburbs, calling the allegation baseless and saying it may consider legal action.
The move
AFJEL responded on Friday to allegations made a day earlier by Addictions France, which said that betting promotion during the 2026 World Cup had been relentless and that young audiences in poorer suburban areas were especially exposed.
The association representing online gaming operators said it firmly denied any intentional policy of targeting young people because of their social background. It argued that seeing advertisements in public transport, counting social-media posts or noting the visibility of a campaign could not, by itself, prove a recruitment strategy based on social vulnerability.
AFJEL said the protection of minors and prevention of gambling addiction were priorities it fully shared. However, it insisted that the seriousness of those concerns did not allow suspicions to be presented as established fact.
It also said it reserved the right to begin legal proceedings over what it described as false accusations damaging the reputation of its members.
The French season around it
Sports betting stakes in France reached a record €1.3 billion during the 2026 World Cup. Addictions France said the volume of advertising around the competition made exposure effectively unavoidable.
Its survey of public transport routes between Seine-Saint-Denis and Paris recorded what it described as one betting advertisement every two minutes, including posters and digital displays. The group said the frequency was particularly concerning in areas with a young population.
Addictions France also criticised the limited visibility of harm-prevention messaging on television. Broadcasters showing the World Cup had signed a good-practice charter with Arcom in 2022 that included a commitment to air prevention spots, the association said.
It said it had offered its own prevention film to TF1, M6, France Télévisions and beIN Sports, but none of the channels broadcast it.
AFJEL answered that eight operators had run communications warning against excessive gambling.
Betclic campaign questioned
Addictions France singled out Betclic’s World Cup activity. As a sponsor of the France national team and partner of sports programmes devoted to the tournament, Betclic installed red domes in six cities where members of the public could bet on France winning the competition.
The association said the installations exposed passers-by, including children, to a campaign that connected betting with a France victory. The dispute now centres on whether that visibility amounted to broad tournament marketing or a more targeted effort aimed at vulnerable young audiences.
