Regulatory
ARJEL
Definition
Autorité de Régulation des Jeux En Ligne. The former French online gambling regulator, replaced by ANJ in 2020. Still referenced in older regulatory and market documentation.
Why it matters
ARJEL was the regulator that opened France's licensed online market in 2010, covering sports betting, horse race betting, and poker. It built the licensing and certification framework that ANJ inherited, and many ARJEL technical standards remain in force under the new authority. References to ARJEL persist in older operator filings, B2B contracts, and supplier certification documentation, which is why the acronym still appears in industry coverage.
The shift from ARJEL to ANJ was both organizational and substantive. ANJ has a broader scope across the entire gambling sector rather than online only, signaling French policy direction toward integrated oversight of all gambling verticals.
Frequently asked questions
Are ARJEL licenses still valid?
Existing licenses transitioned to ANJ in 2020. The substantive licensing framework continued largely unchanged for online betting, racing, and poker. There is no separate ARJEL license today.
Why does industry coverage still mention ARJEL?
Historical context. ARJEL existed for a decade and produced a substantial body of regulatory guidance, certification standards, and enforcement decisions. References in older operator filings and supplier documentation persist.