Paris, October 19, 2026. France's gambling market generated €5.66 billion in gross gaming revenue (GGR) during the first half of 2026, representing growth of just 0.5%, compared with the previously recorded 4.1%, despite an 11% increase in online gambling, according to a report published on October 15 by the Autorité nationale des jeux (ANJ). The figures exclude land-based casinos and gaming clubs.
The online segment reached €1.449 billion, accounting for 25.6% of the market analyzed, with 5.85 million active accounts (+24%) and 4.06 million unique players (+17%).
Sports betting led the market with €6.616 billion wagered (+10.6%) and €995 million in GGR (+11.6%). The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, boosted activity in June: wagers increased 47%, active accounts rose 69%, and football betting surged 116%.
Éric Woerth
Online poker generated €290 million (+13.4%), with 2.3 million active accounts (+38.5%); Sit&Go formats contributed €202 million. Online horse racing betting recorded €920 million wagered (+15.8%) and €164 million in GGR (+2.8%).
Stéphane Pallez
Promotional incentives reached €199 million (+28%): €129 million in sports betting, €50.9 million in poker, and €19.7 million in horse racing.
In contrast, FDJ United, led by Stéphane Pallez, reported €3.429 billion (-2%) from exclusive activities, including €2.98 billion in lottery revenue, affected by fewer exceptional EuroMillions jackpots.
Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU), chaired by Éric Woerth and managed by Cyrille Giraudat, saw revenue decline 5.8% to €782 million, with €3.1 billion wagered. The ANJ, chaired by Pascal Chèvremont since June 22, with Pauline Hot serving as Director General, also published a sports betting study on October 12. In 2025, football accounted for €6.32 billion in wagers, including €829 million on the Champions League. The regulator identified that between 80% and 89% of wagers in certain partial-event betting markets came from players classified as high-risk, raising new regulatory oversight concerns.
