Pauline Hot appointed as new chief of France’s ANJ

Pauline Hot has been appointed as the new Director General of the ANJ, France’s national gambling authority. 

She succeeds the outgoing Remi Lataste, who departs after five years of service to the regulator. He announced his departure on LinkedIn last week, paying tribute to his colleagues at the authority:  

“Nothing would have been possible without the ANJ’s extraordinary team,” he said.

“Remarkable men and women from diverse backgrounds – dedicated, demanding, and creative. A tightly knit team that proudly upholds its mission and the values of public service, pride, and gratitude.”

He also reflected on critical work undertaken in areas such as protecting minors, player protections, combating illicit activity, and sports manipulation, as seen in a new prevention campaign ahead of Roland Garros, the French Tennis Open.

The ANJ is an independent authority with a remit to report to the French parliament.

It regulates all licensed gambling and betting games (online, at points of sale and at racecourses), as well as having responsibility for the gambling policy of casinos. 

The ANJ is also tasked with acting against the unregulated black market of gambling, closing down illicit online platforms, and assisting against money laundering enterprises involving unregulated gambling. 

As Pauline Hot now moves into the leadership position, she will benefit from her time served as Deputy Director General since the start of 2025.

Hot previously served as an auditor and master of requests at the Council of State.

She is likely to be at the forefront of dialogue on potential significant change to the gambling sector in France as the ANJ continues to discuss iGaming with the government. 

At present, iGaming casino games are restricted to physical venues with only sports betting, lotteries, and poker permitted online. 

There have been calls to expand the regulated market with the introduction of iGaming in the major European nation, but the ANJ is wary of potential pitfalls and its “highly addictive nature”. 

These concerns have been the basis for the “carefully considered” approach that the ANJ has taken in discussions with the government.

Image credit: ANJ

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