France’s upper house has taken a decisive step toward giving Paris’ gaming clubs a permanent legal framework, approving an amendment to the 2026 budget bill that would end the experimental regime under which they have operated since February 2017.
The vote, taken in late November, would grant the capital’s card-room style venues long-term status, but still needs backing from the National Assembly when deputies finalize the finance law.
Under the proposal, Paris gaming clubs would continue to operate under their existing model: live card games only, such as poker and punto banco, with slot machines and roulette explicitly banned within the city limits. The clubs are confined to the administrative boundaries of Paris, meaning no expansion into surrounding municipalities in Île-de-France. Lawmakers present this as a “light casino” model designed to be compatible with the capital’s social and political sensitivities.
The pilot regime was created to replace the old “cercles de jeux”, many of which were shut down over issues involving money laundering and organized crime. Initially scheduled to last only a few years, the experiment has been extended several times and is now approaching a decade in length. Political deadlock over the 2025 budget even forced the seven active clubs to close for nearly two months at the start of this year, pushing around 1,200 employees, plus roughly 300 casual workers, into partial unemployment and forcing the cancellation of high-profile events such as the Paris stop of the European Poker Tour.
Economically, senators highlighted that Paris gaming clubs generate around €120 million a year in gross gaming revenue. Of that, approximately €40 million flows to the central state and €10 million to the city of Paris through dedicated taxes and levies. Supporters argue that transforming the pilot into a permanent system would secure a stable and predictable source of revenue for public finances while preserving employment in the sector.
In its official reasoning, the senate stressed that the experiment has proved its value both in terms of public order and economic regulation. The clubs are presented as a legal, supervised alternative to illegal gambling rooms, with strict requirements on transparency, traceability of funds, anti-money-laundering controls and responsible-gaming procedures, overseen by the Interior Ministry and the Paris police prefecture.
Industry association Casinos de France has welcomed the vote, saying that permanent status would finally remove the instability created by repeated short-term renewals and unexpected shutdowns. The next move now lies with the National Assembly: if deputies confirm the senate’s position in the final 2026 budget, Paris’ gaming clubs will move from a fragile experiment to a permanent fixture of the city’s nightlife and tax base.
