French gambling revenue sees only modest half-year growth despite World Cup betting boost

World Cup betting helped offset a decline in retail gambling revenue in France.

Key takeaways:

• France’s gambling market grew by just over 0.5 per cent in the first half of 2026, with the FIFA World Cup providing a major boost to activity and helping offset a slowdown in the retail sector.
• Online gambling was the key growth driver, with online GGR rising 11 per cent to €1.45bn, online sports betting GGR up 11.6 per cent to €995m, and online poker GGR increasing 13.4 per cent to €290m, supported by strong growth in active player accounts.
• Retail operators faced challenges, with FDJ United and PMU reporting GGR declines of 2 per cent and 5.8 per cent respectively, as PMU continued its restructuring efforts and FDJ was impacted by weaker lottery performance and lower retail footfall.

France.- The French gambling regulator, the ANJ, has reported that regulated gambling revenue in France saw only modest growth during the first half of 2026. Despite the impact of the FIFA World Cup, total gross gaming revenue (GGR) rose by just over 0.5 per cent year-on-year. That compares to growth of 4.1 per cent the previous year.

According to the figures, regulated French GGR excluding casinos reached €5.66bn between January and June 2026. Online gaming continued to provide the sector’s strongest source of growth, generating €1.45bn in GGR, an increase of 11 per cent from the previous year.

Online sports betting also delivered a strong performance, with GGR rising 11.6 per cent year-on-year to €995m. However, much of that growth was concentrated around the start of the 2026 FIFA World Cup at the end of the half-year period. Betting stakes in June rose by 47 per cent year-on-year, compared to 4 per cent growth during the January to May period. Total stakes for the first six months of the year reached €6.6bn.

Online poker was another standout performer. GGR from the vertical climbed 13.4 per cent year-on-year to €290m despite relatively stable conditions during much of the reporting period. Growth was recorded throughout the first half, with active player accounts (APAs) increasing 38.5 per cent to 2.3 million.

The rise in poker participation appears to have been more spread out. While sports betting APAs jumped 69 per cent year-on-year in June, they had increased by only 11 per cent in May, while poker growth was more consistent.

However, the growth in online gambling revenue in France only slightly offset the decline in retail gambling. Gross gaming revenue from the retail activities of monopoly operators FDJ United and Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU) declined by 2 per cent and 5.8 per cent year-on-year respectively.

The former reported €3.43bn in GGR from its lottery and retail sports betting businesses. Lottery draw games weighed on performance, with revenue from the segment falling 7.6 per cent amid fewer and smaller Euromillions jackpots, while unusually warm weather in the second quarter was blamed for reduced footfall at retail locations.

FDJ still accounts for 61 per cent of total French gambling market GGR. The ANJ said the operator intends to stabilise its domestic operations by the end of the financial year.

PMU, meanwhile, posted its third consecutive annual decline in first-half GGR. Revenue fell 5.8 per cent year-on-year to €782m, representing a faster rate of decline than the 2.6 per cent drop reported during the first half of 2025. The horse racing betting operator is currently undergoing a state-supported restructuring programme through its Pacte PMU 2030 strategy, intended to modernise the French racing industry. Under the plan, PMU’s financial contribution to the sport is expected to fall to €725m in 2026, down from €802m previously.

Niche betting concerns

Earlier this month, the ANJ raised concerns that certain niche betting offerings are primarily driven by players identified as problem gamblers. In a report on French sports betting growth in 2025, the ANJ notes that both stakes and gross gaming revenue (GGR) from online sports betting in France increased in 2025 despite it being a year without major sporting events.

Gross gaming revenue from online sports betting reached €1.77bn (+10.4 per cent) and stakes €11.52bn(+12 per cent). This expansion was ascribed to the expanded football calendar but also a growing interest in niche competitions.

FAQs

What was French gambling revenue in the first half of 2026?
France’s gambling market grew by just over 0.5 per cent in the first half of 2026. Gross gambling revenue excluding casinos reached €5.66bn with the FIFA World Cup providing a major boost to activity.

Why did French retail gambling revenue decline in the first half of 2026?
Lottery draw games weighed on performance, with revenue from the segment falling 7.6 per cent amid fewer and smaller Euromillions jackpots and unusually warm weather reducing footfall at retail locations in the second quarter. The lottery operator FDJ still accounts for 61 per cent of total French gambling market GGR.