Compliance Updates
French GGR Reaches €14 Billion in 2024
France’s gambling market reached a gross gaming revenue (GGR) of €14 billion in 2024, a 4.7% increase from 2023.
This growth applies to most segments of the market, particularly lotteries and online sports betting, where sales have risen by 19%, driven by the exceptional sporting calendar with the Euro football championships and the Paris Olympics.
The online market enjoyed a record year, with GGR of €2.6 billion, up 12% from 2023. Spearheading this growth, online sports betting recorded a GGR of almost €1.8 billion, up 19% grom 2023. With a market share of over 12% of the total gambling market, online sports betting is the second-largest contributor to market growth, accounting for 43%. Online horse betting is up slightly by almost 1%, while poker has seen its GGR fall by 2%, after growing continuously between 2021 and 2023.
As a sign of its vitality, after two years of decline, the online gaming market has seen significant growth in the number of Active Player Accounts (APAs), with 5.7M APAs (+11% compared with 2023). This trend can be seen across all market segments (13% growth for sports betting, 11% for poker and 4% for horse betting). Similarly, the number of unique players now stands at 3.9 million (up 8% from 2023, with an average player owning 1.5 accounts). The population of sports bettors is getting younger (30% of sports bettors are between 18 and 24 years old) and is also becoming more feminised.
Of the forty or so sports open to betting in France, four in particular stand out in terms of the amounts staked: football (€5,630m stakes), tennis (€2,273m), basketball (€914m) and rugby (€186m). In 2024, these 4 sports alone account for 87.5% of online sports betting stakes. Sports such as volleyball, ice hockey, badminton, handball and cycling have also seen a significant increase in their stakes (+31% between 2023 and 2024).
With a market share of almost 50%, FDJ United is the leading contributor to market growth and is consolidating its position as leader in the French gambling market, with a gross gaming revenue exceeding €7 billion for the first time (+6% compared to 2023). This growth is being driven mainly by lotteries (€5.8bn, +5% in GGR).
GIE PMU’s business, which record €6.6bn in bets and €1.7bn in GGR in 2024, is down 2%. However, PMU’s net profit remain stable at €837m (compared with €835m in 2023), enabling it to maintain its funding for the horseracing industry. Despite a slight drop in the PMU’s market share (12% of the market’s PBJ, supplanted for the first time by online sports betting), the PMU’s pool of players is up 6% in 2024 (3.5M players), returning to the 2019 level before the health crisis.
The year 2024 mark a consolidation for casinos, with GGR up slightly by 1.2% to €2.7 billion and the number of admissions stable at 31 million. Gaming club GGR slowed to €123m.
The post French GGR Reaches €14 Billion in 2024 appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The French National Gaming Authority (ANJ) has issued a strict warning against prediction markets. Regulators firmly classify these digital platforms as illegal gambling operations.
The success of prediction market platforms is growing, particularly since the 2024 US presidential election. By offering users the opportunity to bet on predictions of political, sporting or geopolitical events, these sites handle billions of dollars. In France, these sites are not authorized and are considered illegal gambling sites.
This is why the main operators, at the request of the French National Gaming Authority (ANJ), have implemented geoblocking, thus preventing any gambling from France (except via VPN).
Because these prediction sites exhibit several addictive characteristics similar to those observed in online gambling, but amplified by the absence of the protection mechanisms that exist in the legal gambling market, the ANJ urges users to exercise caution.
Prediction markets exhibit several addictive characteristics, amplified by the fact that no protection is offered, unlike legal gambling sites: platforms are open 24/7, there are no built-in betting limits beyond the amounts wagered, no time limits, no identity checks to verify age, etc. The combination of visibility, accessibility and virality inherent to this type of platform generates a significant addictive loop.
Beyond the risks of addiction, other risks related to market or public opinion manipulation can incite harmful acts. Indeed, as soon as an actor can bet on an event and influence its probability, the market creates a financial incentive to provoke or accelerate negative outcomes such as performance sabotage in sports or violent actions in geopolitics.
In France , the ANJ (National Gaming Authority) determined as early as November 2024 that the services offered by Polymarket were likely to be considered unauthorised gambling. It therefore contacted the Panamanian-based operator, which implemented a geoblocking system preventing any gambling from taking place in France. Kalshi has also implemented a similar system.
Germany, Belgium, Romania, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Poland, Greece, Cyprus, Ukraine and Portugal have blocked access to Polymarket, believing that the platform offers gambling services without having the required license.
In the US, Polymarket was authorised by the CFTC (Commodity Futures Trading Commission) to offer betting to US residents in November 2025. The offering had been limited previously since 2022. The Nevada Gaming Control Board has just sued Polymarket, arguing that its prediction markets constitute illegal gambling and should be subject to blocking measures.
In Australia, the local regulator blacklisted Polymarket on August 14, 2025.
In Colombia, in September 2025, the regulator asked internet service providers to block Polymarket.
The post French National Gaming Authority Issues Strict Warning Against Prediction Markets appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Bagley-Keene Act
California Gambling Control Commission Issues Critical Guidance on Stakeholder Communications and Ex Parte Rules
The California Gambling Control Commission (CGCC) has released a comprehensive new guide for stakeholders, outlining essential best practices for contacting the Commission and strictly warning against the legal pitfalls of “ex parte” communications.
As part of its ongoing commitment to transparency and its 2026 Strategic Plan, the Commission aims to streamline interactions while ensuring that all regulatory decisions are made on a complete, fair, and public record.
Navigating the Commission: Who to Contact
To ensure inquiries are handled efficiently, the Commission has identified key points of contact for various industry matters:
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Licensing & Approvals: For general licensing matters, stakeholders should contact Brian Gilleland, Deputy Director of the Licensing Division, at
[email protected]. -
Regulations & Legislation: Inquiries regarding laws or pending regulations should be directed to Nicole Learned, Deputy Director of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs, at
[email protected]. -
Evidentiary Hearings: For GCA hearing matters, contact the Presiding Officer noted in your hearing notice, or Administrative Hearings Coordinator Pam Mathauser at
[email protected]. -
Executive Leadership: All other high-level matters should be sent to Executive Director Lisa Wardall at
[email protected].
The Danger of “Ex Parte” Communications
A central focus of the new guidance is the strict prohibition of ex parte communications—any communication regarding the merits of a pending application or request made without proper notice to all involved parties.
To comply with state rules, stakeholders must include Commission staff, Bureau staff, and the Applicant (or their designated agent) on all correspondence.
Crucial Warning: Stakeholders are strictly forbidden from sending communications of any kind directly to Commissioners regarding applications or pending decisions.
Why Compliance is Mandatory
The Commission warns that ex parte violations are not merely procedural errors; they pose a direct threat to the integrity of the gambling industry’s governance. Decisions made on incomplete or “private” information can lead to:
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Application Denial: The Commissioners have the authority to deny an application or approval solely based on a prohibited communication.
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Legal Reversals: Violations may breach the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, potentially allowing opposing parties to overturn a decision that was previously taken in your favor.
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Governance Risk: Transparency ensures that all parties—including the Bureau of Gambling Control—have access to the same record of information before a vote is cast.
“Transparency is a core tenet of good governance,” the Commission stated in the guidance. “Ex parte rules guarantee that all matters taken up by the Commission are conducted in a fair and transparent manner.”
The post California Gambling Control Commission Issues Critical Guidance on Stakeholder Communications and Ex Parte Rules appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Compliance Updates
BGC Response to Government Plans to Stop Premier League Clubs Accepting Sponsorship from Gambling Operators Not Holding a UK Licence
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) strongly supports government plans to ban Premier League clubs from accepting sponsorships from gambling operators lacking a UK licence.
A Betting and Gaming Council Spokesperson said: “The Betting and Gaming Council welcomes the Government’s plan to act to stop Premier League clubs accepting sponsorship from gambling operators that do not hold a UK licence.
“Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy is right that gambling companies without a UK licence should be banned from sponsoring Premier League clubs and should go further to prevent these harmful illegal companies from sponsoring any sport in the UK.
“At a time when the regulated sector is facing significantly higher taxation and ever tighter regulation while reducing advertising spend, it is more important than ever that firm action is taken against the growing harmful black market.
“Licensed members of the Betting and Gaming Council are regulated in Britain and follow strict rules on consumer protection, safer gambling and robust financial safeguards. Whereas, the illegal, harmful black market operators do not. They undermine player protections, avoid taxes, ignore safer gambling standards and put consumers at serious risk.
“We support action that protects fans, upholds standards and keeps customers safe within the regulated market.”
The post BGC Response to Government Plans to Stop Premier League Clubs Accepting Sponsorship from Gambling Operators Not Holding a UK Licence appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
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