Mbappé and betting advertising: tensions with the French Football Federation over image rights
France is preparing for the World Cup, but at the training camp of Les Bleus, the French national team, an issue that goes well beyond the pitch has resurfaced. At the centre of the matter is once again Kylian Mbappé, captain of the national team and a symbolic figure in French football, who is reportedly irritated by the use of his image in a sports-betting advertising campaign.
According to reports in the French press, the forward’s image appeared in an advert produced by a betting operator, a commercial partner of the French Football Federation (FFF). Other national team players were also said to have been involved in the communication, including Rayan Cherki, Désiré Doué, Michael Olise, and Ousmane Dembélé.
The issue, however, cannot be reduced to a simple advertising dispute. The point is not only Mbappé’s presence in the campaign but also the way those images were allegedly used and, above all, how clearly the players were informed about how they would ultimately be used.
An advert with reputational implications
The case involving Mbappé and betting advertising is sensitive because it touches a raw nerve in modern football: the relationship among sponsors, federations, and athletes’ public identities. In recent years, Mbappé has drawn a fairly clear line on these issues. He does not want his face associated with sectors he considers sensitive, particularly gambling and junk food.
This is not only an image-related choice. For the French captain, the issue also has a social dimension. A national team player, especially one with Mbappé’s following and visibility, is never just a brand ambassador. He is a role model, for better or worse. Every commercial association helps to build and convey a message.
This is where the friction with the FFF arises. A betting-linked campaign, even when it falls within an existing sponsorship agreement, can prove problematic if one of the athletes involved does not want to be associated with that sector. For Mbappé, his personal and professional image is not a box to be automatically included in a commercial package. It is part of his public credibility.
Image rights issue in the French national team
The matter comes after years of tension between some French players and the FFF over the management of image rights. In 2023, a new agreement was drafted to regulate the commercial use of images of players involved with the national team. That agreement was supposed to clarify the relationship among the players, the Federation, and the sponsors.
Yet the latest episode shows that the issue has not been fully resolved. Far from it. The agreement may provide scope for using the players’ collective image, but one question remains open: to what extent can an athlete be associated with a brand or commercial sector without full, prior, and specific information?
It is a significant question, especially when betting is involved. Sports betting is a central industry in the football ecosystem, but it is also under increasing scrutiny from regulators and the public. Transparency therefore becomes decisive. It is not enough to say that a commercial agreement exists. It must be understood whether the players involved were aware of the final message and the context in which their image would be used.
Federations and sponsors: an increasingly difficult balance
The French Football Federation faces a complicated balance. On the one hand, there are sponsorship agreements, which are fundamental to supporting the system financially and enhancing the national team brand. On the other hand, there are players who are increasingly aware of the value of their image and less willing to accept commercial associations they consider inconsistent with their identity.
Modern football is increasingly shaped by this dynamic. Federations no longer manage only teams, competitions, and sporting results. They manage global brands. At the same time, leading players are no longer simply athletes: they are media platforms, commercial profiles, and public figures with reputations to protect.
In this context, every sponsorship becomes a matter for negotiation. When betting is involved, the level of sensitivity increases. The sports betting industry has built a very close relationship with football over the years, but that relationship is now being examined more closely. The promotion of gambling, especially through figures loved by younger fans, is no longer perceived as a neutral operation.
Betting under scrutiny in Europe
The French case forms part of a broader context. In several European countries, debate is growing over the limits of gambling-related advertising, particularly when campaigns involve highly popular sportspeople. The point is not to criminalise the sector, but to define clearer rules to protect minors, more exposed fans, and vulnerable people.
France is no exception. Regulators have repeatedly stressed the need for responsible communication that is less aggressive and more attentive to the social impact of advertising campaigns. In such a framework, the use of the image of a footballer like Mbappé takes on significance that goes beyond a single advertisement.
For betting operators, sports sponsorship remains an extremely powerful tool for visibility. But the case shows that the strength of an official agreement is no longer enough to shield against reputational challenges. If the athlete does not identify with the message, the campaign risks turning from a commercial opportunity into a public communication problem, as in this case.
A match away from the pitch
The tension between Mbappé and the FFF is not just an isolated episode. It is a sign of a deeper change in the relationship between sport, business, and individual responsibility. Footballers, especially the most influential, are asking for a greater say over where their image ends up. Federations, meanwhile, must find a way to respect that need without undermining the value of their commercial agreements.
The likely point of convergence will be greater transparency. Athletes want to know in advance where their face will appear, with what message, and for which sector. This is not a marginal request, especially in an era in which reputation is worth as much as performance on the pitch.
Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, France must therefore manage a parallel match. One will be played on the pitch. The other, perhaps less visible but no less important, concerns control over the image of its leading players and the increasingly thin line between commercial promotion and personal identity.
This article was originally published on the Italian SiGMA News page on 8 June 2026.
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