Steve Hoare

French audiences have been reminded of their rights to be removed from all gambling communications and promotions via voluntary self-exclusion.

On Monday 5 January, l’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), the Gambling Authority of France, launched a new digital campaign to enhance public awareness of “Interdiction Volontaire” — the national self-exclusion register for gambling harms.

The campaign has been developed in partnership with French digital media outlet BRUT, with the aim of presenting audiences with “real testimonies” on gambling addiction, its risks and its consequences.

The series is led by the testimony of recovering addict Bilel, a former gambler reflecting on his addiction and his decision to protect himself through the voluntary gambling self-exclusion scheme offered by the ANJ.

Voluntary self-exclusion is described by the ANJ as a strictly personal and confidential process, allowing individuals to protect themselves from risks associated with excessive gambling, including financial harm, psychological distress linked to addiction and social isolation.

Last November, the ANJ announced the launch of France’s new self-exclusion register, which spans both online and land-based gambling, via interdictiondejeux.anj.fr. Players authenticate their identity, complete a dynamic selfie through IDnow and receive confirmation once the ban is activated.

The ANJ confirmed that + 88,000 citizens are currently registered on the FNIG, representing an increase of 25% over the past two years. January has been identified as the peak period for new registrations, coinciding with New Year resolutions and increased demand for protective measures.

The exclusion applies for a minimum period of three years and cannot be revoked during that time. The registration process is conducted online and is designed to be completed in just a few minutes through a secure digital procedure.

The ANJ monitors licensed gambling operators to ensure that self-exclusion measures are clearly promoted to consumers and that advertising does not portray gambling as risk-free, unrealistic, or as a means of generating income.

The government of Georgia has finalised a comprehensive sweep of individuals excluded from participating in gambling activities.

In 2025, Georgia enacted new executive orders amending the Georgian Law on the “Organisation of Lotteries, Gambling and Games of Chance”, as demanded by former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili.

The changes saw Georgia’s Revenue Service tasked with the “surveillance of gambling licences”, including responsibility for managing the ‘exclusion registry‘ of Georgian citizens.

In 2024, enforcement measures authorised by PM Garibashvili ordered the government to raise Georgia’s legal gambling age to 25 — the highest threshold in Eastern Europe.

Furthermore, the Revenue Service was instructed by the DREAMS government to register all public-sector employees and citizens with criminal records under the national exclusion register.

Garibashvili was replaced in office in 2025 by PM Irakli Kobakhidze, though regulatory continuity has been maintained under the ruling DREAM government, particularly in relation to tightening controls on gambling and limiting its engagement with citizens.

Following a full sweep completed in 2025, the Revenue Service announced that it had registered 1,577,247 individuals in the exclusion registry as of December 2025.

As reported by SBC Eurasia, this figure includes approximately 36,000 citizens who have voluntarily self-excluded after identifying themselves as vulnerable to gambling-related harms.

The Revenue Service also noted that 62 individuals were added to the registry under direct court orders, while the majority of exclusions were processed via the Revenue Service’s website or its online registration platform, Videocall.rs.ge.

The total number of excluded citizens means the Revenue Service has met the target set by former PM Garibashvili of excluding around 1.5 million citizens from gambling — amounting to a prohibition affecting more than 50% of Georgia’s population.

Further enforcement measures introduced in 2025 require Georgian gambling venues to implement biometric user identification and conduct centralised age verification using government databases.

In addition, Georgia introduced a new tax regime in 2025 under which gambling licences are subject to a 15% levy on GGR, while withdrawals by Georgian citizens are taxed at 5% personal income tax for foreign players’ charges are exempt.

Under the mandate of the ruling DREAM government, gambling continues to be positioned as a legitimate component of Georgia’s economy, primarily oriented toward tourists and foreign visitors rather than domestic participation.

The DREAM government has made clear that gambling must not encroach upon Georgian society or citizens lives, welfare, or financial security at risk. The principle is upheld by PM Irakli Kobakhidze, who continues to underpin Georgia’s increasingly restrictive approach to gambling regulation, enforcement, and citizen protection.

LeoVegas has landed in trouble with the Dutch gambling authority over player protection failures.

Kansspelautoriteit (KSA), the regulator responsible for the market’s oversight in the Netherlands, reminded that gambling companies are required to comply with the country’s duty of care policies to minimise the risks of gambling harm.

“As far as [we are] concerned, LeoVegas did not comply sufficiently with that duty of care,” the KSA added.

The compliance infringements cover the period between October 2023 and May 2024, for which the regulator requested a number of player information files from LeoVegas and concluded that ‘all of them’ exhibited duty of care breaches.

One example saw a player incurring losses equal to “tens of thousands of euros” in a short timescale, with LeoVegas failing to intervene on time. Another player who exhibited “serious” signs of gambling harm was only interacted with through a pop-up notification, which is typically very easy to dismiss.

Michel Groothuizen, Board Chairman of the KSA, added: ‘The duty of care is an essential part of the wider range of player protection. Providers must respond adequately to immoderate play.

“Large losses in a short time are an important signal of this. We have intensified our supervision of the duty of care and gambling providers are tackling this hard, because such an important part should not be neglected.”

As a result of the compliance shortcomings, LeoVegas – owned by MGM Resorts International – will now have to pay €500,000 in penalties.

New changes still coming in 2026
Regulatory scrutiny aside, 2025 has been an incredibly active and testing year for the Dutch market. January saw the first out of two gambling tax increases taking place, going up from 30.4% to 34.2% – with a further increase to 37.8% scheduled for next year.

Not only that, but the market also faced a government fallout earlier in June, which left a number of reforms to the Remote Gaming Act (KOA) up in the air for quite some time.

Coming out of a fresh election cycle, the Netherlands is certain to remain a dynamic gambling jurisdiction even in 2026.

Russia is in the process of adopting a national self-exclusion registry, state media has reported.

Passing second and third readings in Russia’s State Duma, the lower house of Parliament, provisions are already in motion to introduce a self-exclusion scheme that will be fully operational by 1 September 2026.

From that date onwards, players wanting to gain more control over their gambling behaviour can do so by submitting an application to the Unified Gambling Regulator (ERAI). A customer can request to be taken off the self-exclusion registry afterwards, but not before a year has passed after the admission.

It will be mandatory for a customer’s bank account details to be provided when an application is made, so that all funds deposited and present in their account are refunded.

The law passed first reading earlier in May, led by members of the State Committee on Physical Culture and Sports. There will be financial repercussions for operators failing to comply with the new regulations.

Bookmakers and lottery operators will be barred from accepting funds from self-excluded individuals.

Retail venues that offer casino and slot machine games will be restricted from allowing such individuals access to their premises, and advertising to self-excluded persons will be strictly prohibited. Licence holders that do accept bets from self-excluded individuals are facing fines of between 50,000 Rubles (£470) to 100,000 Rubles.

Almost all types of gambling were restricted in Russia back in 2009. Physical casinos currently exist only in four designated areas – the Altai Republic, the Kaliningrad Oblast, Krasnaya Polyana, and Primorsky Krai.

Lottery games are fully state monopolised, operated by Russia’s Ministry of Sports and the Ministry of Finance. Meanwhile, bookmakers do enjoy a more liberalised regime by being allowed to operate across all of Russia’s vast territories.

That doesn’t go without caveats, however, with licensed operators still subject to strict rules – with a certain capital threshold being required to receive a licence, while all online bets having to go through Russia’s Center for Interactive Bets (CUPIS).

Romania’s National Office for Gambling (ONJN) has launched a €5m public funding programme aimed at strengthening national efforts to prevent and treat gambling addiction, marking the most significant public-health intervention undertaken by the regulator to date.

The initiative, titled “Conștient și Liber” (Aware and Free), was formally opened to public consultation on Monday. The consultation will remain open for 30 days and will inform the final structure of the programme ahead of a planned rollout in 2026.

ONJN confirmed that the funding framework will support projects focused on gambling harm prevention, treatment, education and research, as Romania continues to face growing political and public-health scrutiny over gambling exposure — particularly among young people.

€5m fund backed by ONJN revenues
The programme will distribute a total of RON 25.4m (€5m) and will be financed directly from ONJN’s own revenues, in line with Romania’s Gambling Law (OUG 77/2009).

Funding eligibility is restricted to initiatives that promote responsible gambling, protect vulnerable groups and address gambling addiction. ONJN has outlined a clear division in how funds will be allocated.

Approximately €1.2m has been earmarked for infrastructure projects, including the establishment, expansion or equipping of specialist gambling addiction treatment centres. These grants will be available exclusively to public authorities.

The remaining €3.8m will support a broader range of initiatives, including prevention and education programmes, protection of minors, counselling and treatment services, academic research, digital harm-reduction tools and national responsible gambling campaigns. This funding stream will be open to both public bodies and civil society organisations.

ONJN President Vlad-Cristian Soare described the programme as a landmark moment for the regulator.

“This programme represents a first in ONJN’s history,” Soare said. “It enables us to finally deliver on legal provisions that existed but had never been fully implemented.”

“We are launching for public debate the ‘Aware and Free’ programme, through which we will provide €5,000,000 in non-repayable funding for the implementation, by public authorities or NGOs, of programmes that are critically needed for Romanian citizens”.

2026 rollout & actions
As part of the consultation process, ONJN is seeking stakeholder feedback on both the Methodology for the Evaluation, Selection and Financing of Projects and the Applicant’s Guide, which together set out eligibility criteria, assessment procedures and funding conditions.

Under the provisional timetable, project submissions are expected to open later this year, with the first funded initiatives scheduled to launch from April 2026.

ONJN has encouraged a wide range of stakeholders — including non-governmental organisations, public authorities, educational institutions, healthcare providers and recognised religious denominations — to submit proposals and observations during the consultation period.

The funding initiative comes amid heightened concern over gambling harm in Romania, particularly among young adults and minors.

Recent European-level studies have consistently ranked Romania among the countries with the highest exposure to gambling advertising for teenagers, placing it as the third most exposed market in Europe. Policymakers and public-health bodies have warned that early exposure, if left unaddressed, risks translating into long-term addiction, debt and wider social harm.

Vlad Soare: ONJN on frontline to tackle problem gambling
Reflecting on his tenure having been appointed as President of ONJN, Vlad Soare added: “When I took office six months ago, I committed to implementing measures that were mandated by law but remained dormant — from effective self-exclusion systems and stronger inspections to unlocking funding for prevention and treatment.”

“Today, we are taking a further step forward by putting the ‘Aware and Free’ programme out for public discussion and committing €5m in non-repayable funds to projects that Romania’s youth and vulnerable groups urgently need.”

Soare confirmed that this marks the first public funding call issued by ONJN and indicated that a second funding round could follow in 2026, subject to the programme’s performance.

ONJN scrutiny set to intensify in 2026

Despite ONJN returning to the centre of Romania’s gambling regulatory framework through a renewed enforcement push and the launch of its first large-scale harm-reduction funding programme, the authority is expected to remain under sustained political scrutiny throughout 2026.

Divisions persist within Romania’s governing coalition over the future direction of gambling regulation, with lawmakers holding sharply contrasting views on whether ONJN should be strengthened, restructured or fundamentally replaced.

The most outspoken criticism has come from the reformist USR party, which has called for ONJN to be disbanded and for Romania to undertake a comprehensive rewrite of the Law of Games of Chance. USR legislators argue that long-standing governance failures and regulatory blind spots have eroded confidence in the authority, requiring structural reform rather than incremental adjustments.

ONJN Director General Vlad-Cristian Soare has acknowledged the political fallout surrounding the regulator but has urged the incoming government to support his mandate, positioning his tenure as a corrective phase aimed at restoring transparency, credibility of enforcement and institutional trust.

Since taking office, Soare has prioritised the activation of long-delayed measures, including national self-exclusion systems, public registers, enhanced digital oversight tools and dedicated funding for prevention and treatment programmes.

Attention now turns to President Nicușor Dan, and the direction he will set on gambling policy as he seeks to unify a four-party coalition with fundamentally different approaches to industry governance.