ANJ unveils “avant-garde” regulation plan for French market

French gambling regulator ANJ has said it wants to build an “avant-garde” style of regulation to govern the country’s gambling market.

The admission comes as ANJ officials unveiled the regulator’s first strategic plan, outlining five areas to cover its operations over the next three years, including the following bold claim about its regulatory style.

“The games market is particularly creative in game offers, operators’ promotional strategies or game platforms,” the ANJ said in its report.

“To be in tune with this universe, the ANJ must integrate this culture of innovation and digital technology both vis-à-vis the players it regulates and, internally, in its mode of operation and its tools,” the regulator added.

Other axes outlined by the regulator include an aim of “bringing value” to create a sustainable market for recreational gambling as well as putting the player at the heart of regulation.

The ANJ has said it wants to strengthen its own working community by pooling resources and information as well as attracting new regulatory talent.

Finally, in what could be a potentially significant move, the French regulator has said it wants to promote a European vision of gambling regulation by assuming a “driving role” in both European and international cooperation.

“European cooperation with the counterparts of the ANJ must be strengthened insofar as many issues, operational or strategic, for the regulation of gambling, are now addressed at this level,” the regulator explained.

The regulatory has further established three principles as key to the delivery of the strategy; pragmatism, dialogue and coherence.

The ANJ has also committed to building regulatory architecture which allows operators to “realistically and effectively” take ownership of the new regulatory standards