ANJ Semi-Annual Report Details Online Growth Offset by Traditional Segment Contraction

The French National Gaming Authority released its semi-annual report on gambling and games of chance on October 15. The document records online gross gaming revenue at €1.45bn for the first half of 2026, an 11% rise year on year. Overall sector GGR excluding casinos and clubs reached €5.66bn, up only 0.5% against the prior comparable period.

Online channels now account for 25.6% of the market. Active player accounts totaled 5.85 million, a 24% increase. Sports betting led online performance with stakes increased by 10.6 per cent over the six-month period (€6.6bn). Activity concentrated in June around the FIFA World Cup, producing a 47% spike in stakes that month.

Segment Performance and Traditional Declines

Poker generated €290m GGR, up 13.4%. Horse racing stakes rose 16% to €920m. By contrast, FDJU posted a 2% GGR decline to €3.43bn. PMU stakes fell 3.8% to €3.1bn and GGR dropped 5.8% to €782m. The report notes that traditional activities no longer drive market expansion.

Player Protection Signals

Bets on certain lesser-known football leagues and on specific in-play periods showed more than 80% participation from players identified as excessive or manifestly excessive gamblers. The ANJ states this does not prove higher inherent addiction risk in those competitions but argues for better integration of player protection into authorised betting platforms. The return to player rate stood at 84.67 per cent in 2025.

These patterns indicate the regulator is monitoring concentration risks in niche events and bet types. Operators face a market where online momentum must be balanced against targeted safeguards.

Reporting: G3 Newswire

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