Online sports betting in France experienced robust growth in 2025, with a notable increase in stakes and gross gaming revenue (GGR) despite a sporting calendar described by the French gambling regulator as lacking major events.
This uptrend was primarily driven by a broader football schedule and popularity in niche games, l’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) reported on Monday.
The licensed market expanded in 2025, while the number of active accounts rose 7.9% to 5.27 million and unique players increased 8.6% to 3.65 million. The average annual stake per bettor grew to €3,159 ($3,533), a 25% uptick since 2020.
Operators paid €180 million in financial incentives, primarily retention bonuses, to bettors throughout the year.
At-risk players focus on niche competitions
ANJ’s analysis of betting patterns raised concerns over player protection, particularly relating to betting behaviour classified by risk levels.
Using its classification algorithm, which divides players into four risk categories – recreational, moderate risk, excessive and manifestly excessive – ANJ found that excessive bettors disproportionately concentrated their stakes on niche competitions and live markets.
Data from the first half of 2026 revealed that over 80% of stakes by excessive or manifestly excessive players were placed on leagues in Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Australia, competitions generally attracting limited recreational interest.
Furthermore, 80%-89% of bets on sub-match outcomes, such as half-time or quarter-time results and set or game bets in tennis, were made by players who were classified as excessive.
While the regulator stated these patterns did not inherently indicate a higher addiction potential in these competitions, they likely reflected a lack of casual bettors.
ANJ suggested the findings could support integrating enhanced player-safety measures related to which competitions and bet types are authorised.
In 2024 the French Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction estimated that approximately 1.17 million people in France exhibited problematic gambling behaviour, classifying roughly 360,000 as excessive players.
A rise in licensed operations
ANJ also revealed that stakes placed with licensed operators in 2025 rose by 12% to €11.52 billion, while gross gaming revenue increased 10.4% year-on-year to reach €1.766 billion.
The figures mark a continuation of the recovery that began in 2024 despite the absence of high-profile competitions such as a European Championship during the year.
Football overwhelmingly dominated the market, representing 54.9% (€6.32 billion) of all stakes and driving nearly half of the overall growth in betting volumes. Football bets contributed approximately two-thirds of the total GGR.
While football stakes grew by 10.2%, ANJ stated that this figure underestimates the sport’s momentum since 2024 included the European Championship, which alone generated €438 million in bets.
Adjusting for this, football stakes growth in 2025 is estimated between 10% and 19%, depending on how bets attributed to the Euros would have otherwise been distributed.
Tennis continued as another major growth contributor, accounting for 23% of overall stakes (€2.65 billion) and experiencing a 16% increase in year-on-year betting activity, despite no singular standout tennis event in 2025.
Expansion of football events
A significant driver for football’s expansion was the increased number of matches available for betting. The UEFA Champions League, following a format change, expanded its calendar from 137 to 189 matches. The expansion marked a 38% increase and resulted in a 48.6% rise in stakes placed on the competition.
ANJ noted that about 75% of this increase was due to the higher volume of matches rather than an increase in average bet size per game.
The inaugural edition of the revamped Club World Cup also attracted substantial betting interest, with an average of approximately €3.9 million staked per match, nearing the Champions League’s €4.4 million average per game.
In addition, popularity surged for Fifa World Cup betting this year. A survey conducted by Toluna-Harris Interactive among 1,071 French adults between 19 and 21 May 2026 revealed strong public enthusiasm for the upcoming Fifa World Cup. Intentions to place real-money bets on match outcomes via mobile apps, websites, or physical outlets rose, with 41% of followers expressing this intention, surpassing figures recorded previously.
A 24-hour live betting window
The share of stakes placed during live matches was found to be significantly higher for less prominent competitions. Live betting constituted about 26% of stakes for the UEFA Champions League and 30%-35% for major domestic leagues. This increased to roughly 48% for secondary competitions and 50%-58% for European second-tier divisions and unlisted leagues.
ANJ attributed this pattern partly to the global scheduling of football, with South American leagues filling nighttime slots and Asian and Oceanian fixtures covering the French morning hours, effectively offering a near 24-hour live betting window.
Return to player
Under French regulations, the return to player (RTP) for online sports betting is capped at 85% on an annual average per operator.
The market averaged an RTP of 84.67% in 2025. ANJ highlighted an example of RTP management when favourable sporting outcomes in September pushed the monthly payout rate to 94.5%, temporarily exceeding the annual cap.
However, reductions in October and November to 82.3% and 74.2% respectively brought the cumulative RTP back below the limit, indicating operator adjustments in odds to comply with regulations.
Kathryn Evans
Kathryn covers bitesize breaking news with a primary focus on EMEA and US legislation. A proud North Walian, fluent Welsh speaker and lifelong Wrexham FC fan – long before Hollywood came calling.