bet365 Accelerates French Expansion with Launch of Dedicated Online Poker Room

UK online gambling giant bet365 has further strengthened its presence in the French market with the official launch of a dedicated online poker room.  

The operator debuted its poker suite on 5 August under license from the national regulator, the Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ). The move builds upon bet365’s initial entry into France's sports betting market earlier this summer and marks another milestone in the Stoke-on-Trent-based bookmaker's European expansion strategy.  

To power its French poker operations, bet365 has partnered with Playtech to integrate its iPoker Network, taking advantage of the region's shared liquidity framework alongside permitted European jurisdictions. The platform offers Texas Hold’em and Omaha cash games, Sit & Go formats, multi-table tournaments, and fast-paced Twisters games, underpinned by a weekly guaranteed tournament prize pool commitment exceeding €2.5m.  

Highlighting the strategic importance of the French rollout, Christopher Kean, Poker Manager at bet365, said:

France is one of the most important and attractive markets in Europe for online poker. Our ambition is to offer an experience that stands out through its quality, ease of use and breadth of offering.

He added:

This launch represents an important step in the development of our presence in France and reflects our commitment to investing in this market for the long term.

Operating in a High-Tax Landscape

The expansion sees bet365 enter a highly competitive landscape dominated by established domestic operators like Winamax, Betclic, and PMU, as well as global rivals such as PokerStars.  

Industry observers will closely monitor bet365's progress given the strict fiscal environment in France. Recent tax adjustments have pushed the effective tax and social contribution burden on online gaming operators towards 50 per cent of gross gaming revenue (GGR), testing the operator's ability to achieve sustainable long-term profitability.  

Key Operational Highlights

• Regulatory Compliance: Fully licensed by the Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) for online poker.  
• Technology Partner: Powered by Playtech’s iPoker Network, utilizing European shared liquidity pools.  
• Product Proposition: Cash games (Hold'em & Omaha), Sit & Go tournaments, multi-table events, and Twisters, with over €2.5m in weekly prize guarantees.  
• Market Position: Follows bet365's sports betting rollout in May 2026, making it one of the few multi-vertical operators offering sports and poker in the French market.  

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