France Sets Rules for Monetizable Web3 Games Under ANJ Framework

France Introduces Framework for Monetizable Digital Object Games – New Rules Define Limits for Web3 Titles Without Cash Payouts

Key Takeaways

• The French gambling regulator ANJ has introduced a regulatory framework for games featuring monetizable digital objects.
• The rules apply to blockchain-based games that allow trading of digital assets such as NFTs but do not offer payouts in legal tender.
• The framework is launched as a three-year pilot programme under the Security and Digital Space Regulation Act.
• Operators must implement KYC checks, responsible gambling tools, and reporting mechanisms, and minors are excluded.

France Establishes a Legal Category for Monetizable Digital Object Games

France has introduced a dedicated regulatory framework for games that include what the national gambling authority defines as monetizable digital objects. The Autorité Nationale des Jeux, or ANJ, announced the new mechanism as part of a three-year pilot programme.

The framework targets games that operate between traditional video gaming and regulated gambling. These titles allow players to obtain digital assets such as NFTs or blockchain-based items that can be traded on secondary markets. However, they do not provide payouts in legal tender in the way licensed gambling products do.

The legal basis for the framework is the Security and Digital Space Regulation Act, known as the SREN Act, which was passed in May 2024. Under this legislation, France created a distinct legal category for online games that involve chance, financial stakes and resellable digital assets without cash payouts. This distinction separates such products from both conventional video games and fully licensed gambling offerings.

Scope: Blockchain Mechanics and Secondary Market Trading

The new rules directly affect blockchain-based gaming mechanics. Any game that enables players to acquire digital objects with monetary value through resale falls within the scope of the framework, provided that no legal tender payouts are offered.

This is particularly relevant for Web3-based gaming models in which in-game items are tokenized and transferable. The ability to trade these assets externally has been a defining feature of many blockchain projects. Under the French framework, this monetization element triggers regulatory oversight even if the operator does not distribute cash prizes.

For users of crypto-based gaming platforms, this means that certain titles previously operating in a regulatory grey area will now be subject to formal supervision in France. The classification hinges on the presence of chance, financial participation and the resale value of digital objects.

Operational Requirements: KYC, Limits and Reporting

Operators offering games under this new category must comply with several obligations. First, minors are not permitted to participate. Companies must therefore implement strict know your customer procedures with a focus on age verification.

Second, the framework introduces limits on the maximum value of digital rewards that a single player can receive during a defined period. Although these rewards can be monetized through secondary markets, they cannot be exchanged for cash directly through the game in the manner of licensed gambling products.

Third, responsible gambling measures are mandatory. Operators must provide tools such as play-time limits, spending limits and self-exclusion features. These requirements align the oversight of monetizable digital object games more closely with established gambling compliance standards.

In addition, companies must file a formal declaration with the ANJ before launching games that fall under the new regime in France. They are also required to maintain detailed activity logs and grant the regulator access provisions to track fund flows. This reporting structure enables ongoing supervision and potential scrutiny of how digital assets are distributed and traded.

Three-Year Pilot Programme Under the SREN Act

The framework has been introduced as a pilot programme lasting three years. During this period, the ANJ will oversee how the category functions in practice and how operators comply with the obligations.

By embedding the regime in the SREN Act, France has provided a statutory foundation rather than relying on informal guidance. The creation of a clearly defined legal category signals that the authorities view monetizable digital object games as distinct from both unregulated gaming and traditional gambling.

For international operators, the pilot structure indicates that the rules are operational but may be subject to evaluation over time. Any company targeting the French market with blockchain-based mechanics must assess whether its product falls within this new classification.

European Context: Belgium, the UK and Poland

France is described as the first jurisdiction to introduce a dedicated framework specifically overseeing monetizable digital object games. However, other European countries have also addressed similar products.

Belgium and the United Kingdom have enacted their own regulatory measures concerning such games. While the specific approaches differ, the existence of national rules in multiple jurisdictions shows that regulators are increasingly examining titles that combine elements of chance, financial participation and digital asset trading.

Poland is currently working on an amendment to its Gambling Act aimed at making the legislation more inclusive and comprehensive. This indicates that legislative developments in this area are ongoing within the European Union.

For operators and users of crypto-integrated gaming platforms, this broader European movement suggests a shift toward clearer legal definitions and supervisory mechanisms for Web3-related gaming models.

Our Assessment

France has formally defined and regulated a category of games that involve chance, financial stakes and resellable digital assets without cash payouts. The framework, introduced as a three-year pilot under the SREN Act, imposes KYC requirements, responsible gambling tools, reward limits and reporting obligations, while excluding minors. In a European environment where Belgium, the UK and Poland are also addressing similar products, the French model establishes a structured approach to supervising blockchain-based games that monetize digital objects through secondary markets.