ANJ warns against scratch cards as Christmas gifts for children

France's gambling authority ANJ has launched a public awareness campaign questioning the practice of giving scratch cards to children as Christmas presents, highlighting a concerning disconnect between perceived risks and actual behavior among French families.

The intervention comes as holiday-themed scratch card packages arrive at tobacco shops across France. According to recent survey data from Toluna – Harris interactive, conducted online from December 5-9, 2024, among 2,073 respondents representative of French adults, 20% of French people planned to give scratch cards to children at Christmas.

Gateway to gambling concerns

Enquête réalisée en ligne du 05 au 09 décembre 2024 par Toluna – Harris interactive. Échantillon de 2073 personnes représentatif des Français âgés de 18 ans et plus

Instant games represent a significant segment of France's gambling market, with 20 million French people wagering nearly 11 billion euros in 2024 across approximately 30 instant games available at retail points of sale. These games often serve as the entry point into gambling activities, with the ENJEU Mineurs study from 2021 identifying that 15-17 year-olds typically begin their gambling experience with instant games.

The normalization of giving these games as presents has become particularly evident during holiday seasons. A quarter of French people reported having previously given scratch-off games to children, most commonly parents giving to their own children, followed by gifts within siblings or to nephews, nieces, and grandchildren.

Christmas emerges as the peak period for such gifts, whether placed under the tree or included in advent calendars. Gift-givers view these presents as suitable for both boys and girls and as something families can enjoy together. One in five French people expressed intentions to give scratch-off games to children at Christmas.

Risk perception paradox

Portrait des habitudes de jeu et analyse de l’attractivité et des risques associés aux jeux de grattage

The survey reveals a striking contradiction in public attitudes. While more than half of French people considered it inconceivable to give scratch-off games to children, and 94% viewed gambling as dangerous for children – rating it as more hazardous than social media or screen time – the practice continues.

This risk perception exists even among those who give these games as presents. Gamblers themselves rate the practice as somewhat less dangerous compared to non-gamblers, yet nearly all French respondents acknowledged that children who engage with gambling risk developing addiction, including those who had previously given scratch cards as gifts.

Recent research by the Chaire de recherche sur le jeu de l'Université Concordia de Montréal conducted in France reinforces that while scratch-off games may appear as simple entertainment, they represent a far from trivial gambling activity.

The ANJ's social media campaign titled "where is the problem?" uses illustrated scenarios to challenge families' assumptions about the normalized place gambling occupies within household dynamics.

Regulatory implications for market oversight

This campaign signals ANJ's growing focus on prevention and early intervention strategies, particularly around gateway gambling products. The regulator's approach of targeting family gifting practices represents a shift from traditional compliance-focused messaging toward broader social responsibility initiatives.

The disconnect between risk awareness and behavior patterns identified in the survey data suggests potential regulatory vulnerabilities in how instant games are marketed and distributed during holiday periods. With scratch cards positioned as family-friendly gifts despite widespread recognition of their addictive potential, operators and retailers may face increased scrutiny over promotional strategies targeting gift-purchasing demographics.

The timing of this intervention, coinciding with peak holiday retail activity, indicates ANJ's recognition that regulatory effectiveness requires addressing cultural normalization of gambling products beyond traditional harm prevention measures. This approach aligns with broader European regulatory trends, as seen in recent enforcement actions by Dutch regulators targeting unauthorized gambling operations.

According to French National Gaming Authority (ANJ).