Report an illegal casino site: 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 a financial scam. The National Games Authority (ANJ) manages the administrative blocking of unlicensed sites. Online casinos are prohibited in France. Report any gambling offers (slot machines, roulette) through these official channels to protect your data and money.

Division of responsibilities: ANJ vs Ministry

First, identify the competent authority based on your issue. The National Games Authority (ANJ) is the regulator that oversees the legal market and combats illicit offerings through administrative measures. It has the power to block illegal gambling sites by adding them to a blacklist transmitted 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 oversees Pharos, the national platform for reporting illicit online content, including gambling scams. If you are a victim of proven financial fraud, such as unauthorized bank withdrawals, use THESEE, a government online service dedicated to reporting internet scams. These tools enable criminal prosecution of cybercrime perpetrators. The DGCCRF remains the contact for commercial disputes, but its actions are limited when facing operators outside French jurisdiction.

The role of the ANJ in administrative blocking

The National Games Authority (ANJ) collaborates with law enforcement to identify offenses, but it does not resolve individual financial disputes with these banned sites. Its main action is to update 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, particularly the OCLCTIC (Office for the Fight against Cybercrime), to centralize information on online offenses. For direct financial losses, THESEE simplifies online complaint filing and avoids a trip to the police station. These procedures are complementary: Pharos aids in overall detection, while THESEE aims for restitution or specific criminal prosecution.

When to contact the DGCCRF or the courts?

The DGCCRF intervenes for consumer economic protection via the Signal.conso.gouv.fr platform. However, when facing an illegal casino site often based abroad, standard remedies are ineffective. The DGCCRF works in coordination with the National Games Authority (ANJ) to monitor deceptive practices, but in case of serious criminal offenses, 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 users to data theft and non-payment of winnings, as no foreign license is recognized in France. Identify indicators of illegality before depositing funds.

Verify ANJ approval and the blacklist

The National Games Authority (ANJ) maintains the Blacklist of illegal gambling sites and can order immediate administrative blocking. Unlike licensed operators such as FDJ (Française des Jeux) or PMU, which offer a secure framework with player accounts and self-exclusion mechanisms, unlisted sites are dangerous. FDJ and PMU systematically transmit the list of banned players to block access for vulnerable individuals, a protection 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 Curacao eGaming or Malta license has no legal value in France for online casinos. The ANJ clarifies 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, increasing the risks of addiction and fraud.

Warning signs: aggressive bonuses and lack of legal notices

Visual indicators include excessive bonuses and a lack of clear legal notices. These platforms exploit players' lack of knowledge to conceal their illegality. In case of dispute or fraud, the DGCCRF can be contacted via signal.conso.gouv.fr, but it lacks jurisdiction over illegal games where the ANJ takes precedence. For proven scams, the Ministry of the Interior's THESEE portal allows reporting of 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 lack of an ANJ license means no guarantee protects your funds or personal data against fraud and identity theft.

Theft of banking data and phishing

Unlicensed sites are prime vectors for Phishing, a spoofing technique aimed at extracting your banking credentials. Security analyses indicate that these illegal operators lack the required security protocols, facilitating mass theft of personal data. Furthermore, the absence of valid SSL certificates or standard verifications means your browser will not always warn you of the domain's danger, increasing the risk of malware infection. Once your information is compromised, you become a target for unauthorized transactions, as evidenced by numerous reports of unauthorized charges.

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

Money laundering and Tracfin monitoring

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 evading the strict controls imposed on legal operators. In France, this activity escapes Tracfin (Financial Intelligence Unit) monitoring, which normally regulates suspicious flows. By playing on these sites, you involuntarily participate in criminal financial circuits, which can lead to serious legal complications for you.

No recourse in case of non-payment

In case of payment refusal, no legal recourse is possible through the ANJ or the Gambling Ombudsman, 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. Immediately contact your bank to attempt a chargeback procedure, although success rates are slim against offshore entities. Vigilance remains your best protection against these unrecoverable losses.

Protecting yourself: Gambling bans and support

This proactive step protects your data and wallet from unregulated operators operating entirely illegally on French territory. Beyond reporting, mechanisms exist to prevent addiction and secure your practice.

Requesting a voluntary gambling ban

The voluntary gambling ban is a personal and confidential procedure that allows registration in the banned players file, which is transmitted to legal operators and physical casinos. Reserved for adults, this measure is recommended in case of financial difficulties or isolation related 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.

Support resources: Joueurs Info Service and SOS Joueurs

When facing addiction, Joueurs Info Service and SOS Joueurs offer essential and free psychological support. These organizations guide players toward healthcare professionals for appropriate care. Meanwhile, the Evalujeu.fr platform allows anonymous self-assessment of dependency, serving as a concrete first step toward overcoming pathological gambling. Evalujeu.fr is directly linked to ANJ mechanisms to identify warning signs before they worsen.

The legal framework: 2010 Law and Internal Security Code

The Internal Security Code (CSI) formally prohibits online casinos in France, relying on Articles L.320-1 and L.320-6 to combat illicit offerings. Unlike sports betting or poker, no approval is granted for online slot machines or roulette. The Internal Security Code (CSI) thus defines the strict perimeter of legality, rendering any foreign license (Malta, Curaçao) legally worthless on French soil. This legal basis, supplemented by Law No. 2010-476 of May 12, 2010, enables authorities to block financial flows and access to non-compliant sites.

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

About this article - Authorship & responsibility

Author: Sarah Weber - Casino tester & bonus analyst Reviewed by: Dr. Markus Hoffmann - Senior iGaming compliance analyst Last updated: 2026-07-02.

This article on "reporting illegal casino sites Ministry of the Interior" was written by Sarah Weber and reviewed 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 Games 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 operators licensed under the French ANJ framework. PhD in economic mathematics. Fields: bonus mathematics, wager analysis, player protection mechanisms.

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 registry (banned players file (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 regulations.