The French gambling regulator, l’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), has reported that the nation’s regulated gambling market grew by 3% in 2025, reaching a total gross gaming revenue (GGR) of €14.1 billion. This growth was primarily fuelled by the online sector, the state lottery, and a recovery in land-based casino activity. Despite a 2025 sports calendar with fewer major international events than the previous year, the market demonstrated structural resilience and an increasing shift toward digital platforms.
Strategic Growth Drivers and Sector Performance
The 2025 annual review highlights a maturing market where digital diversification is outpacing traditional retail growth. For executives and operators, the core data points reveal several key trends:
- Online Dominance: The online segment saw GGR jump 8.5% to €2.617 billion, now accounting for 18.5% of the total market share.
- Player Diversification: Unique online players increased by 7.5% to 4.2 million, with a notable 25% surge in multi-activity players engaging across sports betting, horse racing, and poker.
- Lottery Stability: FDJ United remains the market anchor, contributing €6.95 billion (49.2% of total GGR), driven largely by a 3.4% increase in lottery revenue.
- Casino Recovery: Land-based casinos posted a 3.4% GGR increase to €2.816 billion, supported by a 2% rise in admissions to 31.6 million visits.
- Vertical Resilience: Online sports betting GGR rose 10.4% to €1.766 billion, with football and tennis accounting for nearly 80% of total stakes.
Regulatory Evolution and Compliance Standards
The market expansion occurs alongside a tightening of the regulatory framework. The ANJ has recently operationalised the JONUM regime, which introduces oversight for monetisable digital games with gambling-like mechanics. This proactive stance is part of a broader strategy to manage emerging digital formats that appeal to a younger, tech-savvy audience.
Maintaining market integrity remains a primary focus for the regulator. Operators are currently navigating the requirements outlined in the ANJ France 2026 AML and fraud compliance plans, which demand enhanced vigilance regarding financial transparency and the prevention of unlicensed activity. The ANJ has indicated that 2026 will be a pivotal year as the full-year effects of new fiscal policies and social security levies, introduced in mid-2025, begin to influence operator margins and commercial strategies.
Addressing Excessive Gambling and Player Protection
While the financial indicators are positive, the ANJ continues to voice caution regarding social impact. Estimates from the French Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction suggest that approximately 1.17 million residents exhibit problematic gambling behaviour. In response, the regulator has integrated strict requirements into its 2025-2027 strategic cycle to lower the prevalence of excessive play.
Operators must now align their marketing and operational models with the ANJ France action plans for excessive gambling reduction. These measures include mandatory adjustments to promotional expenditure and the implementation of more aggressive safer-gambling interventions. The ANJ warned that further regulatory adjustments may be proposed if the industry fails to transition toward a less intensive gambling model by 2027.
European Context and Future Outlook
France’s 3% growth rate places it in the middle tier of major European markets, trailing the UK’s 4.3% expansion but outperforming Italy’s 1.9% growth. With France currently ranking as the third-largest gambling market in Europe by GGR, the ANJ is closely monitoring how domestic tax increases on online betting and promotional spend will affect the competitive landscape throughout 2026.
As the industry prepares for major upcoming events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the focus remains on balancing revenue growth with stringent compliance. The decline in PMU’s exclusive rights activities, where GGR fell 2.8% to €1.651 billion, underscores the ongoing challenge for traditional monopolies to compete with more agile digital offerings. For the upcoming year, the ANJ intends to prioritise technical audits and the verification of player protection tools to ensure that market expansion does not come at the cost of public health.