France Launches Three-Year Web3 Gaming Trial Under Strict Rules

France has formally unveiled the regulatory blueprint for so-called JONUM games — online titles built around digital objects that can be traded or turned into monetary value. Lawmakers have chosen not to make the regime permanent, opting instead for a three-year trial designed to test whether this new format can operate under strict consumer safeguards.

The decree was signed on February 4, 2026, published two days later, and entered into force on February 7. Any company wishing to launch JONUM products will operate under the supervision of Autorité nationale des jeux (ANJ).

Strong Player Controls From Day One

The French approach puts risk-management tools at the center of the model.

When creating an account, users must define:

• A seven-day spending cap

• A seven-day time-usage limit

Requests to increase those limits are not immediate. A 48-hour cooling-off period applies before higher thresholds can take effect. Operators are also required to trigger an alert once a player reaches 75% of a chosen limit.

The message from regulators is clear: participation must remain controlled and transparent, with built-in friction against impulsive increases.

Instant Self-Exclusion and Strict Identity Checks

Self-exclusion is mandatory and must be permanently accessible. Users can block themselves for periods ranging from 24 hours to 12 months, and the restriction must activate without delay.

Age protection rules are uncompromising. Minors are barred from registration. Before opening an account, operators must verify identity and confirm legal adulthood. Full personal details — including a residential address — are required during onboarding.

France is effectively allowing innovation in digital-asset gaming, but only within a tightly supervised environment.

Reward Caps Designed to Prevent Excess

The decree introduces firm ceilings on prizes.

• A player can receive no more than €1000 in non-cash prizes from the same game over a calendar year.

• If rewards are paid in eligible crypto-assets, the total amount handed out by that game in a year is limited to 20% of what it earns during the same period.

• On an individual level, winnings from one title cannot go beyond €25,000 per year.

These restrictions aim to prevent the emergence of high-payout mechanics while still permitting monetisable digital-object gameplay.

Industry Briefing and International Attention

Companies curious about entering the JONUM segment will have a chance to hear directly from Autorité nationale des jeux on February 19, 2026. The regulator plans to break down the new requirements and explain how the three-year experiment is supposed to operate in day-to-day terms.

The update comes while Web3 fantasy projects remain under the spotlight — particularly Sorare. In the UK, the UK Gambling Commission has listed June 15, 2026 as the date for a court hearing tied to Sorare.com.

A Controlled Experiment in Digital-Asset Gaming

France has chosen a middle path. Web3-driven games are neither prohibited nor left unchecked. Instead, lawmakers have carved out a time-limited testing ground, where strict spending caps, mandatory ID checks and instant self-exclusion tools form the backbone of the model.

During the three-year trial, authorities will monitor how JONUM projects perform under these constraints. Their findings may influence how other European jurisdictions handle games built around tradable digital assets in the future.

France is not alone in rethinking how digital gambling models should be structured. As we recently reported, Finland has confirmed a dual-licence framework ahead of its planned 2027 market opening — another sign that European regulators are actively redesigning the rules for the next phase of online gaming.