A report by the ANJ published in April 2024 reveals that the Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) reached 13.4 billion euros, the highest level recorded to date.
The gambling market in France seemed to stabilize in 2022. This was apparently just a momentum gained to leap further. Indeed, all segments advanced, including online poker, which appeared to have been abandoned.
The French are playing more and more
In the report published on April 19, 2024, by the National Gaming Authority of France, online poker is certainly the segment with the most remarkable figures. Indeed, it experienced an average annual growth rate (AAGR) of the GGR at 16.6% over the period 2019-2023. Moreover, compared to 2022, its GGR increased from 442 million to 504 million euros, representing a net growth of 14.1%.
Sports betting, which has the largest number of Active Player Accounts (APA), saw its GGR rise from 1389 to 1477 million euros. A growth of 6.4% from which PMU and FDJ, the only operators with exclusive rights in the country, benefited. Moreover, from 2022 to 2023, the FDJ recorded a 6% growth in its number of players, reaching 27 million.
Online horse racing betting, where PMU holds the leadership, is also on the rise. Indeed, its GGR rose to 353 million euros, a growth of 1.9% while the stakes level rose to 1.5 billion euros, representing an increase of 5.1%. Finally, the number of players also grew from 625,000 to 653,000, a growth of 4.5%. This is remarkable since the total number of APA in the online gambling market decreased by 2.2%.
More and more, the best poker sites offer bonuses and advantages that help players better enjoy the games. Numerous tournaments are organized, around which major marketing campaigns are launched. Â
Outlook for 2024
Faced with the increasingly pronounced taste of the French for online gambling, Isabelle FALQUE-PIERROTIN, President of the ANJ, warns: “This health of the market demonstrates that demanding regulation is not a barrier to development. This growth makes the objective of reducing the number of excessive players, which the ANJ has placed at the center of its action for the coming years, even more relevant. In a 2024 context marked by the holding of two major sporting events (the Euro 2024 football and the Paris Olympic Games), the ANJ has reminded operators of certain things. Indeed, due to the risk of intensified gambling practices, they will need to exercise increased vigilance regarding the prevention of underage gambling and gambling behaviors. This measure particularly concerns vulnerable individuals (notably those aged 18-24).”
We still remember that on the occasions of the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the French placed sports bets amounting to 700 and 600 million euros respectively. During the Argentina-France final of the 2022 World Cup, stakes amounting to 51 million were officially recorded. With a French Team still in good form for Euro 2024, bets may once again soar. The next ANJ report will reveal whether FALQUE-PIERROTIN’s concerns are justified.
