FRANCE | OCTOBER 26, 2026 | GAMING REGULATION & CRYPTOCURRENCY

France is tightening oversight of blockchain-linked gaming as cryptocurrency transactions, digital collectibles, and financial crime prevention become increasingly intertwined.
The Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) has published new anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing guidance for games involving monetizable digital objects, known in France as Jeux à Objets Numériques Monétisables (JONUM).
The 18-page document, adopted on October 15, 2026 and published on October 21, explains how businesses running these games should follow current financial crime prevention rules.
The guidance covers cryptocurrency transfers, NFTs, customer identification, monitoring for suspicious transactions, and managing internal risks.
France has not created a new licensing system for crypto gaming with this document. Instead, the regulator explains how current anti-money laundering rules apply to this newer type of digital gaming business.
This update matters for gaming companies planning their compliance strategies for 2027, especially those using blockchain, digital assets, or cryptocurrency transactions.

Why France Is Increasing Scrutiny of Crypto-Linked Games

Traditional online gambling already faces financial crime risks with payments, deposits, and withdrawals. Blockchain games add more complexity because digital assets can move between platforms, wallets, and secondary markets.
Some digital games let players acquire, trade, or sell virtual items. These items can have real financial value, even if the game is mainly for entertainment.

The ANJ's guidance addresses the possibility that such transactions could be exploited to obscure the origin or movement of funds.
For example, someone might buy a digital item with cryptocurrency, move it between accounts, and then sell it. Without proper monitoring, it can be hard to know why payments are made or who is involved.

However, using cryptocurrency does not mean illegal activity is happening. Regulators mainly care whether operators can spot unusual transactions and handle them properly.
This distinction matters because France wants to support new digital gaming models while keeping financial safeguards in place.

What Is JONUM and How Does It Differ From Online Gambling?

JONUM is a French regulatory category for certain games that involve monetizable digital objects.
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These games may incorporate blockchain technology, collectible assets, NFTs, or other digital items that players can acquire and potentially exchange.
JONUM products follow a different legal framework with their own rules, unlike regular online casino games.
A game cannot automatically qualify as JONUM simply because it uses cryptocurrency or NFTs. Its legal classification depends on the game's characteristics and whether it meets applicable statutory requirements.

This difference matters most for businesses making products that mix entertainment, financial rewards, and digital ownership.
A blockchain game that rewards players with transferable digital objects may raise different regulatory questions than an online slot machine that accepts cryptocurrency deposits.
The new guidance focuses on preventing financial crime in the JONUM framework, not on changing the line between gaming and gambling.

Four Compliance Areas Highlighted by France's ANJ

The guidance identifies several areas where businesses must understand their responsibilities and assess operational risks.

Customer identity verification	Establish appropriate procedures to identify customers and verify their identities under applicable requirements
Transaction monitoring	Detect unusual activity involving digital assets, cryptocurrency transfers, or potentially suspicious transaction patterns
Internal risk assessments	Evaluate exposure to money laundering and terrorist financing based on the business model, customers, products, and payment methods
Suspicious activity reporting	Report relevant suspicions to TRACFIN in accordance with applicable legal obligations

These rules can affect how games are designed and how platforms work.
A business that previously focused primarily on gameplay, digital asset ownership, and user experience may also need to invest in compliance processes, internal controls, and transaction-review capabilities.
How much a business must do depends on its legal status, activities, and applicable rules. Cryptocurrency and NFTs Create Distinct Monitoring Challenges

One key aspect of the guidance focuses on financial transactions involving digital assets.
Cryptocurrency transfers can use external wallets or multiple intermediaries, and NFTs can add more steps through resale and secondary markets.
These features can make it harder to know who really controls an asset or if a transaction is legitimate.
For JONUM businesses, some key operational questions come up:

• Can the business identify customers when required?
• Can unusual transfers or transactions be detected and investigated?
• Are risks associated with cryptocurrency payments and digital asset transfers reflected in internal assessments?
• Are suspicious activities escalated and reported through appropriate channels?

The guidance does not say that all NFT transfers are suspicious or that blockchain technology cannot work with French gaming rules.
Instead, it highlights the need for financial crime controls based on the risks of the actual products operators provide.

TRACFIN's Role in Monitoring Suspicious Gaming Transactions

TRACFIN, France's financial intelligence unit, sits at the center of the country's anti-money laundering system.
Businesses subject to reporting obligations must submit relevant suspicious activity reports through the established legal framework.
For digital gaming operators, this links gaming compliance to broader financial crime prevention.
Monitoring transactions is not just about spotting large payments. Suspicious activity can also include how transactions are structured, repeated transfers, unusual patterns, or differences between a customer's profile and their financial actions.
Whether an activity needs to be reported depends on the situation and the applicable legal rules.
The ANJ's guidance explains how JONUM businesses fit into the broader financial intelligence and regulatory system.

A New Compliance Challenge for Gaming Startups

The ANJ's document also highlights a real challenge for smaller gaming companies: compliance must be a priority, not an afterthought.or explains that JONUM businesses remain responsible for meeting their anti-money laundering obligations even when they outsource certain activities to cryptocurrency service providers.
In particular, JONUM businesses cannot simply hand off anti-money laundering and suspicious-transaction reporting to outside contractors.
The guidance requires adequate internal resources, clear procedures, staff training, and assigned personnel to prevent financial crime.

For startups, this could mean needing more resources to run a compliant blockchain gaming platform.
Businesses should consider compliance earlier in product development, especially when building digital wallets, payment systems, NFT marketplaces, and account sign-up processes.
There's also a competitive side. Bigger gaming companies with compliance teams may handle new requirements more easily, while smaller developers could face higher costs.
These are possible business impacts, not official cost estimates from the regulator.

France's Guidance Comes Ahead of a Wider European Regulatory Transition

The ANJ's decision references the European Union's 2024 anti-money laundering legislative framework, including Regulation (EU) 2024/1624 and Directive (EU) 2024/1640.
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This connection matters because digital gaming companies increasingly operate across borders, while financial crime prevention requirements continue to develop at both national and European levels.

For businesses looking to enter France, the rules now go beyond simply checking whether a product counts as a JONUM game.
Companies also need to understand how gaming classification, digital asset transactions, customer checks, and financial crime prevention all connect.
France's approach could shape how developers build their platforms, even though the October guidance does not set new EU-wide rules.

What Happens Next for France's Crypto Gaming Market in 2027?

The ANJ has said it will conduct a separate review of money laundering and terrorist financing risks for this sector, and the assessment is expected to examine the threats and vulnerabilities associated with JONUM activities in greater detail. The regulator has not established a publication date in the October guidance.

Looking ahead to 2027, three things will matter most.
First, businesses may start building identity checks and transaction monitoring into their gaming platforms from the start, instead of adding them later. Sector risk assessment could clarify which vulnerabilities regulators consider most significant, potentially shaping future supervisory priorities.
Third, the French market could show early signs of how blockchain entertainment products can grow under rules that support digital innovation but still require financial accountability.
None of these outcomes are certain, but they are worth watching as France's JONUM framework evolves.

Conclusion: France Is Bringing Blockchain Gaming Into Its Financial Compliance Framework

France's latest guidance marks another step in regulating games involving cryptocurrency and monetizable digital objects.
Rather than creating a new license or banning blockchain gaming, the ANJ is clarifying how current financial crime rules apply to JONUM businesses.
The impact goes beyond cryptocurrency payments. Operators now need to focus on customer checks, internal controls, digital asset transfers, and reporting suspicious activity when developing these products.

The main question for 2027 is whether France can allow innovation while ensuring digital gaming platforms meet expected financial safeguards.
For operators, the message is clear: blockchain gaming brings new business opportunities, but digital ownership and cryptocurrency still require financial transparency.