The ANJ Blacklist Explained: How France Blocks Unlicensed Betting Sites and What Fans Abroad Should Know

France operates one of Europe's tightest online gambling regimes. Only operators approved by the Autorité nationale des jeux, the ANJ, may offer sports betting, poker or horse racing online, and online casino games remain illegal altogether.

Sites working without approval risk a place on the ANJ's blacklist, which obliges French internet providers to block them.

Here is how that list works, who it targets and what French fans living abroad should keep in mind.

France's Online Gambling Rules

French law allows three online verticals, sports betting, horse racing and poker, each through ANJ-approved operators. Online casino games, including slots and live dealer tables, lack any legal route in France.

Residents of France should bet only with approved operators, whose sites display the ANJ's authorisation.

How the Blacklist Works

Enforcement follows a set sequence, and the table outlines each step.

Step	What happens
Detection	ANJ identifies an unlicensed site or a promoter of one
Formal notice	Publisher and host receive a warning with five days to respond
Blocking order	Internet providers must block access in France
Delisting	Search engines remove the site from results
Publication	The site joins the public list of blocked domains

Last verified: November 2026

The ANJ gained administrative blocking power in 2022 and published its first public blacklist in March 2023, shortening a process that once took months through the courts.

The List in Numbers

Enforcement has grown year after year. The regulator blocked 1,290 URLs in 2025, and in July 2026 it ordered providers to block Polymarket after geoblocking failed to stop French access.

Crypto Sites on the List

Crypto casinos and sportsbooks that accept French players without ANJ approval fall squarely within the blacklist's scope. Blocks target the domain itself, whatever payment method a site uses.

France Against Its Neighbours

Germany's GGL whitelist takes the opposite approach, publishing approved operators instead of blocked ones.

Other European regimes mix both tools, and European licensing rules vary widely in how they treat crypto platforms.

French Fans Abroad

French citizens living abroad answer to the law of their host country, and ANJ blocks apply to access from France. Fans who move from Lyon to Lisbon or Montreal face entirely different rules.

Language support matters for expats too, and French-language support varies widely across Web3 sportsbooks.

Dexsport Lacks ANJ Approval

Dexsport answers to the Anjouan regulator through Dexapp LTD and lacks ANJ approval, so residents of France should use an ANJ-licensed operator.

For French fans abroad where local law allows offshore betting, Dexsport names lequipe.fr among its football settlement sources and offers self-exclusion by email within 12 hours.

Conclusion

France limits online sports betting, horse racing and poker to ANJ-approved operators and keeps online casino games illegal. Unlicensed sites face formal notice, blocking orders and delisting, followed by a place on the public blacklist.

The ANJ blocked 1,290 URLs in 2025 and blocked Polymarket in July 2026. Crypto platforms fall within the same rules, and offshore books such as Dexsport lack French approval.

Residents of France should use approved operators. French fans living elsewhere should review their host country's law before signing up, bet only if of legal age, and keep in mind that KYC or AML checks may apply.

Disclaimer: The information here is provided for general purposes only and is not legal, tax, investment, or financial advice. French gambling law, ANJ enforcement and platform licences change over time and vary by country. Residents of France should use ANJ-approved operators. Betting involves risk, and rules vary by country, so check the law where you live. Please bet responsibly, within your means, and only if you are of legal age.