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.
Key takeaways
- ARJEL was France's online gambling regulator from the opening of the licensed market in 2010 until the ANJ replaced it in 2020.
- It licensed online sports betting, horse race betting and poker, and built the framework that the ANJ inherited.
- The acronym still appears in older operator filings, B2B contracts and supplier certification documents.
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. 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.
Sources
- Autorité nationale des jeux: un régulateur au service d'un jeu sûr, intègre et maîtrisé (2025) - Autorité nationale des jeux
Frequently asked questions
Are ARJEL licences still valid?
Existing licences transitioned to ANJ in 2020. The substantive licensing framework continued largely unchanged for online betting, racing, and poker. There is no separate ARJEL licence 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.