The European gambling sector's fourth-largest market, worth an estimated 14,000 million euros, will be France by the year 2024.
France's gaming market shines spectacularly as the fourth-largest in Europe, raking in approximately €14 billion in 2024, according to the annual report from the National Gaming Authority (ANJ, Autorité Nationale des Jeux). This 4.7% surge compared to 2023 can be credited to a boom in online sports betting, lotteries, and an excitement-packed sporting calendar featuring events like the UEFA European Football Championship and the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
"This year has been a record-breaker for online gaming," cheered the ANJ. Online sports betting spearheaded the growth, amounting to €1.8 billion in revenue, a whopping 19% increase year-on-year. Online sports betting's dominance hovered above 12% of the total gaming market, contributing to an astounding 43% of the overall market's growth in 2024.
The number of active player accounts crept up to 5.7 million, beefing up by an impressive 11%. Online sports betting registered the most significant increase (13%) in active players, followed by poker (11%) and horse racing betting (4%).
"The online gaming sector is as lively as ever," noted the regulator, acknowledging that after two years of decline, the number of players has bounced back. The unique player count is now projected to reach 3.9 million, surging by 8%. Interestingly, 30% of sports bettors are aged between 18 and 24, and a growing number of female players are making their mark.
The ANJ attributes this growth not only to the action-packed sporting lineup but also to the aggressive marketing strategies of operators. These strategies included bigger advertising budgets, sustained financial incentives, and concerted cross-selling efforts amongst verticals.
Diving Deeper into Sports Betting
Of the 40 sports available for wagering in France, the top four dominated the market in 2024: football (€8.5 billion in bets), tennis (€2.27 billion), basketball (€914 million), and rugby (€186 million). These four sports garnered 87.5% of all online sports bets. Lesser-known sports such as volleyball, ice hockey, badminton, handball, and cycling experienced a 31% increase compared to 2023.
FDJ United Springs to Top European Operators
FDJ United continues its reign as the mightiest force in the French gaming landscape, raking in over €7 billion and a 6% increase compared to 2023. The considerable growth came primarily from the vertical lottery sector, surging to €5.8 billion, a 5% increase.
"FDJ United is the main contributor to market growth and fortifies its position as the French market leader," affirmed the report.
The company, which recently merged with Kindred and expanded its offerings across Europe, released jaw-dropping performances for 2024, placing it amongst the top three European operators.
PMU Weathers the Storm but Needs More Action
PMU, the exclusive horse racing betting operator, recorded a 2% drop in GGR compared to 2023, while still recording €6.6 billion in bets and €1.7 billion in GGR. However, the company acknowledges the need to take action to fend off the competition and has already unveiled several initiatives to allure a wider, younger, and more urban crowd. Despite the GGR fall, profits remained on an even keel, and the player base increased by 6%, returning to levels last seen in 2019, just before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tomorrow, Tomorrow!
"The market doesn't appear to be showing any signs of slowing down," declared the ANJ, but cautioned that 2025 might present challenges, particularly if advertising pressure persists in a year without major sporting events. "Advertising budgets have already ballooned by almost 11%," the regulator warned, and added that the cross-selling of new customers might intensify problematic gambling behaviors.
Future concerns include regulatory and fiscal changes: a new 15% tax on sports betting operators' advertising expenditure will kick in on July 1, 2025. Moreover, 2025 marks the beginning of a new era for digital games with the regulated experiment on monetizable digital objects (JONUM), authorized by the SREN Law of May 21, 2024, slated to commence in September 2025, subject to final regulatory approvals.
"The ANJ will be watchful to ensure boundaries between JONUM and traditional gambling games," the report cautioned. The ANJ's message is unequivocal: expansion should not come at the expense of responsibility.
Key Figures
- €14 billion in GGR
- 18.5% of the online market
- Nearly half of France participates in betting and gambling
- Two operators with exclusive rights: La Française des Jeux (FDJ) and PMU
- 202 casinos, 233 racetracks
- 5.7 million active player accounts in the online racing segment
- France places 10th in the global rankings for gaming revenue generation
- The astounding growth in online sports betting, estimated to reach €1.8 billion in 2024, accounts for around 18.5% of the overall online gaming market in France.
- Operators in the French gaming market have been aggressive in their marketing strategies, contributing to the increased interest in sports betting, with 30% of sports bettors being aged between 18 and 24.
- In the sports betting sector, FDJ United, a leading operator, has been the main contributor to market growth, with an estimated €7 billion in revenue, amounting to approximately 18.5% of the online gaming market in France.
