French Gambling Market Growth Slows To 0.5% Despite Online Betting Surge

France's gambling market recorded marginal growth during the first half of 2026, with gross gaming revenue (GGR) increasing just 0.5% despite a strong performance from online sports betting and poker.

Figures published by French gambling regulator Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) show that total GGR reached €5.66 billion in the six months to 30 June, representing a significant slowdown from the 4.1% growth recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.

Online gambling was the only major segment to report growth, with GGR increasing 11% year-on-year to €1.45 billion. However, declining revenues from FDJ United's exclusive-rights activities and Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU) limited growth across the wider market.

World Cup Drives Online Sports Betting Growth

Online gambling accounted for 25.6% of total French gambling revenue during the first half, an increase of 2.4 percentage points compared to the previous year. The number of active player accounts also rose 24%, reflecting increased participation across the regulated online sector.

Sports betting remained the primary contributor, generating €995 million in GGR, up 11.6% year-on-year. Total stakes increased 10.6% to €6.6 billion, supported by betting activity surrounding the opening stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in June.

Online poker also delivered double-digit growth, with GGR climbing 13.4% to €290 million. Active player accounts increased 38.5% to 2.3 million, although average revenue per active account declined 18%, suggesting that growth in participation outpaced the increase in spending.

Meanwhile, online horse racing GGR rose 2.8% to €164 million, with stakes increasing 15.8% to €920 million. Online casino gambling remains prohibited under France's existing regulatory framework.

Player rewards increased considerably during the period, rising 28% to €199 million. This represented 13.8% of online GGR, compared to 11.9% a year earlier, with sports betting accounting for €129 million of the total following a 35% increase.

FDJ United And PMU Report Declining Revenues

While online operators benefited from increased activity, France's traditional gambling segments experienced a more challenging first half.

FDJ United reported a 2% decline in GGR from its exclusive-rights activities to €3.43 billion, primarily reflecting weaker lottery performance. Lottery GGR fell 2.1% to €2.98 billion, with revenue from draw-based games declining 7.6%.

The operator attributed the reduction in draw game revenue partly to fewer and smaller EuroMillions jackpots, while heatwaves during the second quarter also affected customer visits to retail outlets. Excluding the impact of extended EuroMillions jackpot cycles, lottery GGR increased 1% year-on-year.

PMU experienced a more pronounced decline, with GGR from its exclusive operations falling 5.8% to €782 million. Stakes decreased 3.8% to €3.1 billion, marking the organisation's third consecutive first-half revenue decline.

The operator's share of the overall French gambling market also continued to contract, falling from 14.7% in the first half of 2025 to 13.8% this year. PMU held a 15.8% market share during the corresponding period in 2024.

ANJ Highlights Player Retention Challenge

Despite the wider market slowdown, online gambling entered the second half of 2026 with a record 5.85 million active player accounts, representing a 24% increase compared to the previous year.

However, the ANJ cautioned that the sector's full-year performance will depend partly on whether customers attracted during the FIFA World Cup continue gambling after the tournament.

The regulator identified player retention as an important indicator of whether the competition has produced a lasting expansion in France's online betting market or merely a temporary increase in activity.

With traditional gambling revenues declining and online growth increasingly important to overall performance, the second half of 2026 will provide a clearer indication of whether France's regulated gambling sector can return to stronger growth.