Reporting an illegal casino website: Complete guide (Ministry of the Interior & ANJ)

To report an illegal casino site to the Ministry of the Interior, use the Pharos platform or the THESEE system if you have suffered financial fraud. The National Gaming Authority (ANJ) manages the administrative blocking of unlicensed sites. Online casinos are banned in France. Report any gambling offers (slot machines, roulette) through these official channels to protect your data and your money.

Division of competences: ANJ vs Ministry

First, identify the competent authority based on your issue. The National Gaming Authority (ANJ) is the regulator that supervises the legal market and fights against illegal offers through administrative measures. It has the power to block illegal gambling sites by placing them on a blacklist sent to internet service providers. This measure cuts off technical access to platforms operating without a license.

The Ministry of the Interior intervenes on a criminal level. It supervises Pharos, the national platform for reporting illegal online content, including gambling scams. If you are the victim of proven financial fraud, such as unauthorized bank withdrawals, use THESEE, an online service from the ministry dedicated to reporting internet scams. These tools make it possible to initiate criminal proceedings against the perpetrators of cybercrime. The DGCCRF remains the contact point for commercial disputes, but its action is limited when dealing with operators outside French jurisdiction.

The role of the ANJ in administrative blocking

The National Gaming Authority (ANJ) collaborates with law enforcement to identify infractions, but it does not resolve individual financial disputes with these prohibited sites. Its main action consists of updating the list of sites subject to administrative blocking. This list is communicated to technical operators to prevent access from French territory.

Reporting a scam via Pharos and THESEE

Reporting via Pharos allows police and gendarmerie services, notably the OCLCTIC (Office for the Fight against Cybercrime), to centralize information on online offenses. For direct financial losses, THESEE simplifies filing a complaint online and avoids a trip to the police station. These steps are complementary: Pharos helps with overall detection, while THESEE aims for restitution or specific criminal prosecution.

When to contact the DGCCRF or the courts?

The DGCCRF intervenes for the economic protection of consumers via the Signal.conso.gouv.fr platform. However, when faced with an illegal casino site that is often based abroad, classic remedies are ineffective. The DGCCRF works in liaison with the National Gaming Authority (ANJ) to monitor misleading practices, but in the event of a serious criminal offense, referral to the Ministry of the Interior is necessary for effective enforcement.

How to identify an illegal online casino site

An illegal online casino site systematically exposes you to data theft and non-payment of winnings, as no foreign license is recognized in France. Identify the indicators of illegality before depositing funds.

Verify the ANJ approval and the blacklist

The National Gaming Authority (ANJ) maintains the Blacklist of illegal gaming sites and can order an immediate administrative block. Unlike licensed operators like the FDJ (Française des Jeux) or PMU, which offer a secure framework with a player account and self-exclusion systems, unlisted sites are dangerous. The FDJ (Française des Jeux) and PMU systematically transmit the gaming ban file to block access for vulnerable people, a protection that is absent on illicit platforms. If a site is not on the ANJ's whitelist, it is illegal, even if it is not yet on the blacklist.

Are foreign licenses (Malta, Curaçao) valid?

A license from Curacao eGaming or Malta has no legal value in France for online casinos. The ANJ specifies that these foreign authorizations protect neither your funds nor your data. An illegal online casino site operating under Curacao eGaming bypasses French player protection obligations, which increases the risks of addiction and fraud.

Warning signs: aggressive bonuses and lack of legal notices

Visual clues include excessive bonuses and the lack of clear legal notices. These platforms exploit players' lack of knowledge to mask their illegality. In the event of a dispute or fraud, the DGCCRF can be contacted via signal.conso.gouv.fr, but it does not have jurisdiction over illegal games where the ANJ takes precedence. For proven scams, the Ministry of the Interior's THESEE portal allows you to report financial losses.

Major risks: Fraud, data, and non-payment

These platforms operate outside the French legal framework. They expose players to serious financial and security risks. The absence of an ANJ license means that no guarantee protects your funds or your personal data against fraud and identity theft.

Bank data theft and phishing

Unlicensed sites are primary vectors for Phishing, a technique aimed at obtaining your banking details. Security analyses indicate that these illegal operators do not have the required security protocols, which facilitates the massive theft of personal data. In addition, the lack of valid SSL certificates or standard verifications means that your browser will not always warn you of the domain's danger, increasing the risk of infection by malware. Once your information is compromised, you become the target of unauthorized transactions, as evidenced by numerous reports of debits without consent.

Report any phishing attempt to the Cybermalveillance.gouv.fr platform, which offers a free diagnosis and advice to secure your devices after exposure to this type of threat.

Money laundering and Tracfin surveillance

The financial opacity of illegal casinos makes them ideal tools for Money Laundering. These platforms allow illicit funds to be converted into apparent winnings, thereby escaping the strict controls imposed on legal operators. In France, this activity escapes the surveillance of Tracfin (Intelligence processing and action against clandestine financial circuits), which normally regulates suspicious flows. By playing on these sites, you are involuntarily participating in criminal financial channels, which can lead to serious legal complications for yourself.

No recourse in case of non-payment

In the event of a payment refusal, no legal recourse is possible via the ANJ or the Gaming Mediator, as these institutions do not cover illegal operators. The only remaining option is to report fraud via the Ministry of the Interior's THESEE platform, but this does not guarantee reimbursement. Contact your bank immediately to attempt a chargeback procedure, although the chances of success are slim when dealing with offshore entities. Vigilance remains your best protection against these irrecoverable losses.

Protecting yourself: Gambling ban and help

This proactive approach protects your data and your wallet from unregulated operators operating illegally in French territory. Beyond reporting, mechanisms exist to prevent addiction and make your gaming safer.

Requesting a voluntary gambling ban

Voluntary gambling self-exclusion is a personal and confidential procedure allowing one to register on the banned list, which is transmitted to legal operators and physical casinos. Reserved for adults, this measure is recommended in the event of financial difficulties or isolation linked to excessive gambling. It constitutes an effective legal barrier, distinct from simple deposit limits, as it blocks access to gambling for a fixed or unlimited duration.

Help resources: Joueurs Info Service and SOS Joueurs

In the face of addiction, Joueurs Info Service and SOS Joueurs offer essential and free psychological support. These organizations direct players to healthcare professionals for appropriate treatment. At the same time, the Evalujeu.fr platform allows for an anonymous self-assessment of addiction, serving as a concrete first step towards leaving pathological gambling. Evalujeu.fr is directly linked to the ANJ's systems to identify warning signs before they worsen.

The legal framework: 2010 Law and Internal Security Code

The Internal Security Code (CSI) formally bans online casinos in France, relying on articles L.320-1 and L.320-6 to suppress illegal offerings. Unlike sports betting or poker, no license is issued for online slots or roulette. The Internal Security Code (CSI) thus defines the strict perimeter of legality, making any foreign license (Malta, Curaçao) devoid of legal value on French soil. This legal basis, supplemented by Law No. 2010-476 of May 12, 2010, allows authorities to block financial flows and access to non-compliant sites.

The DNS filtering mechanism is also used by access providers to prevent the resolution of domain names registered on the ANJ's blacklist, constituting an additional technical barrier for French users.

About this article - Authorship & responsibility

Author: Sarah Weber - Casino tester & bonus analyst

Verified by: Dr. Markus Hoffmann - Senior iGaming Compliance Analyst

Last updated: 2026-07-02.

This article on “reporting an illegal casino site Ministry of the Interior” was written by Sarah Weber and reviewed by Dr. Markus Hoffmann. Both update the content regularly to reflect regulatory developments, licenses, and bonus conditions. 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 conditions, withdrawal processes, customer support evaluation.

About the reviewer

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

Responsible gambling

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

Legal disclaimer

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 regulations.