Amigo Lottery Faces Further Restrictions in 2026
France’s Amigo lottery, a popular game known for its frequent draws throughout the day, is once again under scrutiny from the National Gaming Authority (ANJ). After implementing changes in 2023 to reduce the number of draws and prize amounts, the regulator is compelling Française des Jeux (FDJ) to revise the rules of this exclusively in-person lottery for 2026. What will remain of the Amigo lottery as we know it? This article examines the ANJ’s efforts to mitigate the addictive nature of this controversial game.
Key Information Regarding Potential New Rules for Amigo in 2026
- The ANJ is mandating further changes to Amigo by FDJ in 2026 to limit excessive gambling risks, despite an initial reform in 2023.
- New rules may include a reduction in the number of draws, fewer promotional activities, and a less favorable payout structure for players.
- Online operation of the Amigo lottery remains prohibited for the fourth consecutive year, a decision confirmed for 2026.
- Amigo remains FDJ’s most redistributive lottery (71% of stakes returned to players), but its very frequent draws (every 5 minutes) pose significant risks, according to the ANJ.
Amigo: A Lottery Concentrating Risks of Excessive Gambling
Launched in 2010, the Amigo lottery aimed to replace “Rapido” while maintaining the same frequent draw format, with up to 250 draws per day, seven days a week. This ultra-fast lottery (a draw every 5 minutes), with variable stakes up to €20 per play (before 2023) and increased odds of winning (1 in 3 chance of a prize), combines almost all risk factors for individuals prone to excessive gambling.
Recognizing this, the ANJ instructed FDJ to completely overhaul Amigo in 2023 by reducing the number of daily draws, eliminating certain time slots, and lowering the maximum stake per play from €20 to €8.
After two years of experimentation, this revised version of the Amigo lottery has not sufficiently reduced the number of at-risk players. Therefore, the regulator is requiring FDJ to implement new, stricter rules starting in the first quarter of 2026 to minimize the addictive mechanics of this lottery with its numerous draws.
In its report approving FDJ’s gaming program for 2026, the ANJ is conditioning the continued operation of Amigo on a fundamental modification of its rules. This includes a further reduction in the number of draws, a reduction or cessation of promotional activities, and a restructuring of the game mechanics to lower the odds of winning.
What Could the New Amigo Rules Be in 2026?
A decrease in the number of excessive players naturally implies a reduced attractiveness of the Amigo lottery. FDJ will have to balance this to avoid completely altering the essence of Amigo, which is its accessibility when stopping for coffee in a bar, with regular chances to win back the stake while hoping for the €100,000 jackpot.
Possible modifications to the Amigo rules for 2026 may include:
- Reduction in the number of draws: either through new time slots without draws or a longer interval between draws of 7, 8, 9, or even 10 minutes.
- Lower odds of winning: a redesign of the Amigo game grid with a larger number of numbers, and therefore fewer chances of winning, could be under consideration.
- Reduction in promotional activities: almost every month, Amigo promotions increase potential jackpots by a factor of two or allow players to win with only three correct blue numbers. These promotions could be reduced or completely eliminated.
*These rules are only hypotheses put forward, they do not yet constitute the reality of the new regulations to come for Amigo, which will certainly be published by the end of 2025.
Online Operation of Amigo Remains Prohibited for 2026
In addition to restricting the Amigo lottery in retail outlets, the ANJ has naturally continued to issue an unfavorable opinion on the online operation of this lottery. After 2023, 2024, and 2025, 2026 will mark the fourth year in which the formal prohibition of offering Amigo draws online via the FDJ website remains in effect.
While the announcement is not a surprise, it does dash the hopes of expansion desired by FDJ and some players in this Amigo lottery, which, it should be remembered, is the most redistributive of the operator with 71% of the stakes returned to players and whose chances of winning back the stake are 1 in 3, significantly higher than Loto, EuroMillions, or EuroDreams.
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