Sports betting growth puts focus on niche betting offerings in France

The French gambling regulator’s report highlights the proportion of ‘excessive gamblers’ betting on niche offerings.

Key takeaways: 

• France’s regulated online sports betting market continued to grow strongly in 2025, with stakes rising 12 per cent to €11.52bn and GGR increasing 10.4 per cent to €1.766bn, while active accounts reached 5.27 million and unique players grew to 3.65 million.
• Football remained the dominant betting product, accounting for 54.9 per cent of all stakes (€6.32bn), with growth boosted by an expanded UEFA Champions League schedule and strong interest in the revamped Club World Cup.
• The ANJ raised responsible gambling concerns after finding that excessive and manifestly excessive bettors concentrated more than 80 per cent of their stakes on niche international leagues and were responsible for 80-89 per cent of bets on certain sub-match and live betting markets.

France.- The French gambling regulator l’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) has published a report analysing the growth of online sports betting in France in 2025. The publication examines the main growth drivers and how they are being managed by operators while raising concerns that certain niche betting offerings are primarily driven by players identified as problem gamblers.

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.

The number of active betting accounts climbed 7.9 per cent to 5.27 million, while the number of unique players rose 8.6 per cent to 3.65 million. Average annual spending per bettor reached €3,159, representing a 25 per cent increase since 2020. Operators also distributed €180m in financial incentives during the year, the majority of which took the form of retention bonuses.

Player protection concerns

The ANJ’s review of betting behaviour highlighted concerns around player protection, particularly among customers identified as higher risk. Using an internal classification system that separates players into recreational, moderate risk, excessive and manifestly excessive, the regulator found that those in the highest-risk categories were far more likely to focus on niche competitions and live betting markets.

Data from the first half of 2026 showed that more than 80 per cent of stakes placed by excessive or manifestly excessive players were wagered on sports leagues in Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Australia, competitions that typically attract relatively little interest from recreational bettors. The regulator also found that between 80 per cent and 89 per cent of bets on sub-match markets, including half-time and quarter-time results as well as tennis set and game markets, came from players classified as excessive.

The ANJ stressed that these findings do not necessarily mean such competitions have a greater addictive potential, and that the trend may reflect the limited participation of casual bettors in those markets. However, it said the research could help inform stronger player-safety measures linked to the approval of specific competitions and betting products.

Estimates published in 2024 by the French Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction indicated that around 1.17 million people in France displayed problematic gambling behaviour, including approximately 360,000 classified as excessive gamblers.

Football remains most popular among French bettors

Football remained by far the most popular sport among French bettors, accounting for 54.9 per cent of all wagers at €6.32bn. The sport was responsible for almost half of the market’s overall growth and generated roughly two-thirds of total GGR.

Although football stakes rose by 10.2 per cent, ANJ noted that the figure understates underlying growth because 2024 had the UEFA European Championship, which alone attracted €438m in wagers. After adjusting for the impact of the tournament, football betting growth in 2025 is estimated at between 10 per cent and 19 per cent.

A key factor behind football’s growth is likely to be the expansion of the UEFA Champions League schedule following the competition’s format change. The number of matches available for betting increased from 137 to 189, a rise of 38 per cent. Stakes on Champions League fixtures climbed 48.6 per cent as a result. ANJ estimated that around 75 per cent of that increase was driven by the larger number of matches rather than higher average spending on individual games.

Betting interest was also strong for the newly expanded Club World Cup. The competition generated average stakes of around €3.9m per match, approaching the Champions League’s average of €4.4m per game.

ANJ’s analysis also pointed to the growing importance of in-play wagering. Live betting accounted for around 26 per cent of stakes on UEFA Champions League matches and between 30 per cent and 35 per cent of wagers on leading domestic leagues. For secondary competitions the figure rose to about 48 per cent, while European second divisions and unlisted leagues generated live betting shares of between 50 per cent and 58 per cent.

The regulator said this trend was partly supported by the international spread of football fixtures. South American competitions provide overnight betting opportunities, while matches in Asia and Oceania fill morning time slots in France, creating what is effectively a near 24-hour live betting cycle.

Tennis also delivered significant gains. The sport represented 23 per cent of all stakes, equivalent to €2.65bn, and posted a 16 per cent increase in betting activity despite the absence of a standout event during the year.

French regulations cap the return to player (RTP) in online sports betting at an annual average of 85 per cent per operator. The market-wide RTP stood at 84.67 per cent in 2025. ANJ highlighted September as an example of how operators manage payout levels. Favourable sporting results for bettors pushed the monthly RTP to 94.5 per cent, temporarily above the annual limit. However, lower RTP levels of 82.3 per cent in October and 74.2 per cent in November brought the cumulative figure back below the regulatory threshold, suggesting operators adjusted odds to remain compliant with French rules.

FAQs

What drove the growth of online sports betting in France in 2025?
The French gambling regulator, the ANJ, said growth was mainly driven by a broader football calendar, particularly the expanded UEFA Champions League, alongside increasing betting activity on niche competitions and continued strength in tennis betting.

Why is the French gambling regulator concerned about player behaviour?
The regulator found that high-risk bettors were heavily concentrated in niche competitions and live betting markets. More than 80 per cent of their stakes were placed on leagues in countries such as Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Australia.

How important was football to the French betting market in 2025?
Football generated €6.32bn in stakes, representing 54.9 per cent of all bets placed. It was responsible for nearly half of overall market growth and contributed around two-thirds of total gross gaming revenue.