ANJ Blacklist Blocked Sites 2026: Complete Guide, Update and Legal Alternatives

The ANJ blacklist blocked sites 2026 groups together illegal gambling platforms targeted by administrative blocking in France. The National Gaming Authority (ANJ) requires internet service providers such as Orange, SFR, Free and Bouygues Telecom to block access to these sites, including Cresus Casino. The goal is to protect players against fraud, addiction and money laundering. This list, which is not exhaustive, evolves regularly thanks to official decisions based on the Law of 2 March 2022.

Understanding the ANJ Blacklist and Blocked Sites in 2026

The ANJ blacklist blocked sites 2026 identifies gambling platforms subject to an administrative blocking and de-referencing order in France. Published by the National Gaming Authority (ANJ), this database serves to protect players from illegal operators that do not comply with French legal obligations. The list is not static and changes constantly with the emergence of new mirror sites.

Which sites are on the ANJ blacklist?

The ANJ, the French regulatory authority, regularly updates its list with the URLs of sites operating without a license. A striking example is Cresus Casino, a platform that attracted around 3 million visitors per month before its total block in June 2024 for non-compliance with regulations. This case demonstrates the firmness of administrative measures: after an initial block, the site tried to change its address via mirror sites, but the ANJ ordered a new block.

The list also includes many casinos under foreign licenses, such as those from Curacao eGaming, considered illegal on French territory. These sites, often accessible via changing domains, pose a significant financial risk as they do not guarantee the payout of winnings. The ANJ mobilizes Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to apply these technical blocks, making access to these platforms increasingly difficult for French players.

Crucial Difference: Licensed Operators vs Illegal Sites

The distinction between legal operators and unregulated sites lies in obtaining an official license. Actors like WINAMAX, Betclic, or Unibet hold an ANJ license, allowing them to legally offer sports betting and poker services. LA FRANCAISE DES JEUX holds the monopoly on certain lottery games and operates under a strict player protection framework.

Conversely, illegal sites have no ANJ license and often operate from abroad without respecting French security and addiction-fighting standards. Playing on these platforms exposes users to major risks: lack of legal protection in case of dispute, fraud risks, and increased addiction potential due to overly attractive but uncontrolled offers. Unlike licensed operators that impose deposit limits and offer self-exclusion tools, blocked sites ignore these protection measures.

Why is the blacklist not exhaustive?

The ANJ explicitly states that its blacklist does not cover all existing illegal sites. The authority regularly adds new URLs as it identifies fraudulent operators or mirror sites attempting to bypass previous blocks. Consequently, the absence of a site from this list does not guarantee its legality.

It is therefore recommended to systematically consult the positive list of licensed operators before depositing money. This proactive approach is the only reliable method to avoid the traps of unregulated casinos that can appear and disappear quickly, temporarily escaping the ANJ's radar.

Mechanisms of Administrative Blocking and the Role of ISPs

The ANJ blacklist blocked sites 2026 is not a simple static directory, but the result of a dynamic technical filtering system. Administrative blocking allows the National Gaming Authority (ANJ) to order ISPs to make illicit offers inaccessible, reducing processing times to about two months compared to six to nine months previously. This efficiency relies on strict coordination between the regulator and telecom operators to neutralize problematic URLs.

The Legal Framework: The Law of March 2, 2022

The legal basis for this action lies in the Law of March 2, 2022, which conferred upon the president of the ANJ the power to directly order the blocking of illegal content without going through a lengthy judicial procedure. This Law of March 2, 2022 modernizes the fight against illicit offers by adapting action means to the digital age. In 2024, this procedure allowed 232 blocking orders to be issued concerning 1,337 URLs, the majority of which were mirror sites. Administrative blocking thus proves less costly and faster than the old system, precisely targeting interfaces copied from banned operators.

The Technical Role of ISPs: DNS and IP Blocking

ISPs (Internet Service Providers) are the technical executors of these decisions. Major players like Orange and Free, as well as SFR and Bouygues Telecom, receive instructions from the ANJ to filter access to reported domains. The role of ISPs is crucial as they apply two main technologies: DNS blocking and IP blocking.

DNS blocking prevents the resolution of the illegal domain name into an IP address, making the site inaccessible via its usual URL. IP blocking directly targets the server address hosting the site, blocking access even if the user tries to bypass DNS. For example, Orange can implement effective DNS filtering, while Free uses system updates to re-assign blocked addresses, ensuring rapid compliance on fixed and mobile networks.

The Fight Against Mirror Sites

Mirror sites attempt to escape administrative blocking by changing their URL while retaining the graphical interface of the original site. The ANJ responds with active monitoring of new domains and simultaneous de-referencing. Although these copies are technically distinct by their address, they remain identifiable by their visual signatures and are integrated into the ANJ blacklist blocked sites 2026 upon detection. This responsiveness prevents the false reappearance of illegal operators like Cresus Casino under new digital identities.

Major Risks for Players on Banned Sites

Consulting the ANJ blacklist blocked sites 2026 is an important step, as illegal platforms expose users to systemic dangers absent from the regulated market. The lack of state control means game integrity is not guaranteed and your banking data is vulnerable. By playing on these sites, you voluntarily renounce legal protections against excessive gambling and recourse in case of financial fraud or violation of your personal data.

Financial Fraud and Money Laundering

The most immediate risk concerns the security of your funds. On unauthorized sites, you have no guarantee of fund repayment, as operators escape all financial supervision. These platforms are often vectors for money laundering, using player flows to conceal the origin of illicit capital. Our analyses confirm that some illegal sites debit sums from your bank account multiple times without your consent, a practice classified as fraud. Unlike licensed operators, these entities do not separate player funds from their operating treasury, increasing the risk of non-payment of winnings in case of sudden site closure.

Lack of Addiction Protection

Gambling addiction is a public health issue that illegal sites deliberately ignore. These platforms offer extremely attractive offers without undertaking any measures to protect players against excessive gambling. They do not respect responsible gaming obligations, such as setting deposit limits or accessing the banned players file. This lack of safeguards exposes users to major social difficulties, including isolation and serious family problems. Without the moderation tools imposed by the ANJ, the boundary between leisure and pathology becomes blurred, leaving the player alone facing their compulsions.

Data Security and GDPR Compliance

Cybercrime thrives on sites listed on the blacklist, as these do not comply with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation). Your personal and banking information may be compromised, misappropriated, or sold on the dark web. You are also exposed to identity theft risks, as these operators do not necessarily encrypt sensitive data exchanges. Furthermore, the gaming software used is neither controlled nor approved, meaning you cannot be sure that the games are not rigged. This technical opacity prevents any verification of draw fairness, turning each session into a bet against the house rather than a regulated game of chance.

How to verify a site's legality and play with complete security?

To avoid the pitfalls of the ANJ blacklist, it is imperative to understand that the National Gaming Authority does not merely prohibit: it activates administrative levers to make illegal platforms inaccessible. If you identify a suspicious operator, your report triggers an investigation that can result in a technical block, thus protecting the player community against the risks of fraud and data theft.

How to report an illegal site to the ANJ?

The National Gaming Authority (ANJ), the French public regulator, has a central mission to combat unauthorized gaming offers. Any player can contribute to this protection by reporting a platform that seems illegal directly to the regulator. This procedure is not trivial: it allows the ANJ to open a thorough investigation and, if illegality is confirmed, to implement an administrative block. This block makes the site inaccessible to French internet users, thus cutting off access to operators working without a license, as has been the case for many entities since March 2022. By acting this way, you actively participate in the cleansing of the online gaming market in France.

Who to contact in case of a dispute with a blocked site?

It is crucial to distinguish the possible remedies depending on the legality of the operator. The Gaming Mediator, the body for amicable resolution of conflicts, is not competent to handle disputes involving illegal operators. This lack of jurisdiction means that if you have lost money or suffered damage on a site listed on the ANJ blacklist blocked sites 2026, the Mediator cannot intervene. In this specific case, jurisdiction falls to the DGCCRF (General Directorate for Competition, Consumption and Fraud Repression). The DGCCRF, the consumer protection authority, handles these complaints via the dedicated platform Signal.conso.gouv.fr. This referral to the DGCCRF is vital, as the risks on banned sites include identity theft and misappropriation of banking data, offenses that fall under consumer law and fraud.

The evolution of regulation since ARJEL

The transition from ARJEL to the National Gaming Authority marks a significant tightening of regulation. The ANJ has deployed robust administrative blocking procedures, coordinated with internet service providers (ISPs). This evolution is set within a legal framework validated by the Paris Administrative Tribunal and confirmed by the Council of State, which support the legality of these restrictive measures to protect public order and players. Unlike the previous era, the current approach includes URL delisting and mirror site tracking, making circumvention more difficult. The Council of State plays a role as constitutional guarantor here, validating the ANJ's decisions in the face of appeals from sanctioned operators, while the Paris Administrative Tribunal examines disputes at the first level. This legal architecture ensures that blocks are not arbitrary, but based on a rigorous analysis of the illegal chance gaming offer.

About this article - Editorial & responsibility

Author: Sarah Weber - Casino tester & bonus analyst

Verified by: Dr. Markus Hoffmann - Senior iGaming compliance analyst

Last updated: 2026-07-10.

This article on "ANJ blacklist blocked sites 2026" was written by Sarah Weber and proofread by Dr. Markus Hoffmann. Both regularly update the content to reflect regulatory developments, licenses, and bonus terms. All references to licenses, authorities, or legal frameworks refer to public sources (ANJ (National Gaming Authority), Law of May 12, 2010 on the opening of online gambling).

About the author

8+ years of casino testing, 200+ platforms personally tested in the EU and internationally. Former member of the eCOGRA Player Advocacy Program (2018-2022). Specialization: wagering requirements, withdrawal processes, customer support evaluation.

About the proofreader

12+ years in the iGaming industry, including 5 years in compliance consulting for operators licensed under the French ANJ framework. PhD in economic mathematics. Fields: bonus mathematics, wager analysis, player protection devices.

Responsible gaming

Gaming can become addictive. If you feel you are losing control, contact Joueurs Info Service, SOS Joueurs, or use the national self-exclusion register (file of banned gamblers (FIJ)). Set deposit and loss limits before playing for real money. Breaks and cooldown tools are levers for lasting enjoyment.

Legal notice

The information in this article is provided for editorial and comparative purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice. Players remain responsible for complying with local rules.