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ANJ: Summary of the Online gambling market in 2020: historic performance despite the health crisis

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Ten years after the market was opened in 2010, the year 2020 is a turning point for online gambling, which is becoming a permanent fixture in French people’s lives. Because of the acceleration of the digitisation of gambling practices favoured by the health crisis and the arrival of new players, online sports betting, horse racing and poker have recorded historic performances. The sector’s turnover rose by 22% in 2020 to reach €1.7 billion, its highest level since the opening to competition. This performance contrasts sharply with those of casinos and gambling or betting points of sale, which have been hit hard by the health crisis.

 

Online sports betting: increased recruitment of new players and rising average spend

With an increase in turnover of “only” 7%, the online sports betting market remains by far the dominant activity in the online gambling sector. In 2020, stakes on sports competitions reached €5.3 billion, the highest amount of stakes generated in a year since the opening up to competition in 2010. At the same time, the population of sports bettors continues to grow, with more than one million additional players over the year compared to 2019, representing 4.4 million sports betting players.

After a second quarter in which activity was down (-56% of turnover), the situation of the sports betting market was reversed in the second half of the year with the resumption of sports competitions.

On the other hand, the sports betting segment recorded a pronounced drop in activity at points of sale. The FDJ reports a 10% drop in sports betting stakes across all channels (online and in points of sale).

Bettors’ enthusiasm was focused on major sporting events such as the Champions League in football, which recorded a 65% increase in stakes compared to 2019, or the French Open, which generated €107 million in stakes, the highest amount ever for a Grand Slam tournament.

 

Online horse racing betting: continued growth and record of stakes levels

Online horse racing betting grew strongly, recording a 33% increase over 2019, and totalizing €1.5 billion in stakes, which corresponds to the largest volume of bets placed online over a year. The associated gross gambling revenue grew at a rate close to the stakes (+31%) and set a new historical benchmark (€354m).

This growth is being driven by the recruitment of new players (+5% of players in 2020), which undoubtedly reflects the transfer of a certain number of players who used to bet at points of sale to online horse racing betting.

PMU, whose point-of-sale games generally account for almost 90% of its domestic results, has reported a 15% loss of turnover in this channel.

 

Online poker: a windfall effect of lockdowns that seems to last

Online poker turnover for this year leapt by to €446 million (+64% on 2019), which is a new record-breaking activity erasing the previous benchmark of 2011, the first full year of the market opening.

The lockdowns measures (and more particularly those relating to the first lockdown) have indeed led to a renewed interest in poker. Online poker benefits from the significant recruitment of new players in 2020, which it intends to capitalise on, through loyalty actions, in order to maintain a high level of activity for the coming year. However, this attractiveness does not seem to have been accompanied by an uncontrolled increase in excessive gambling insofar as the average expenditure per player increased by “only” 7% in 2020.

Synthesis of 2020 activity data

 
Q4 2019
Q4 2020
Variation
2019
2020
Variation
Sports betting
Actives player accounts
1 917 000
2 402 000
+ 25%
3 443 000
4 478 000
+ 30%
Bets
1 500 m€
2 004 m€
+ 34%
5 056 m€
5 352 m€
+ 6%
Gross Gambling Revenue
230 m€
356 m€
+ 55%
880 m€
940 m€
+ 7%
Horse racing betting
 
 
 
 
 
 
Actives player accounts
333 000
388 000
+ 16%
599 000
628 000
+ 5%
Bets 
294 m€
448 m€
+ 53%
1 106 m€
1 473 m€
+ 33%
Gross Gambling Revenue
72 m€
105 m€
+ 47%
271 m€
354 m€
+ 31%
Poker
 
 
 
 
 
 
Actives player accounts
709 000
991 000
+ 40%
1 199 000
1 840 000
+ 53%
Gross Gambling Revenue
76 m€
117 m€
+ 54%
272 m€
446 m€
+ 64%
TOTAL
 
 
 
 
 
 
Actives player accounts
2 436 000
3 037 000
+ 25%
4 174 000
4 891 000
+ 17%
Gross Gambling Revenue
377 m€
578 m€
+ 53%
1 423 m€
1 740 m€
+ 22%

 

10 years after the opening up to competition, what has been achieved?

Ten years after the opening up of the online gambling market to competition, the sector of activity, driven by a dynamic and continuous growth, now represents around 17% of the total market turnover, compared to 7% in 2011. In total, the number of players has more than doubled between 2011 and 2020 while the Gross Gambling Revenue has almost tripled over the period, propelled by sports betting (+717%), the growth of poker (+42%) and horse betting (+46%).

The year 2020 seems to represent a turning point for the online gambling sector, which is no longer marginal and is driven by a rapid dynamic.

For Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin, Chairwoman of the ANJ: “The good health of the online gambling sector, due in particular to the massive arrival of new players in sports betting and poker, means that operators must step up their initiatives to prevent problem gambling and protect minors. In line with the new obligations that came into force in 2020, they must better identify and assist at-risk players, provide tools for moderating play time or betting and ensure responsible promotional strategies. More than ever, and with major sporting events approaching before the summer, promoting recreational gambling must be a priority shared by all. “

 

Methodological reminder

This quarterly report was compiled on the basis of data transmitted by licensed online gambling and betting operators on a weekly or quarterly basis. The ANJ’s communications take into account statistical confidentiality. It may not publish information relating to the activity of the monopoly markets (FDJ and PMU) other than that already disclosed by the operators under exclusive rights.

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Tom Horn Gaming Unwraps a Frosty Treat with Santa Yetti

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This December, Tom Horn Gaming invites players to the snowy mountain peaks in its new release, Santa Yetti, a playful holiday adventure where the jolly king of the mountains swaps his sleigh for snow boots to deliver frosty fortunes and festive fun.

Santa Yetti brings a flurry of excitement to the reels with Expanding Wilds, Multipliers, Respins, and the Respin Booster feature.

The Snowman is a Wild symbol. When it lands on any of the three reels, it expands and triggers a single respin. During the respin, seven win lines transform into twenty-seven ways to win, piling up prizes like Christmas presents. When all three reels are fully stacked with the same symbol, the total win is multiplied by ten, creating a snowstorm of rewards.

Players can also activate the Respin Booster, which increases their total bet by 1.5x and boosts the chance of triggering a respin by 300%. The feature remains active until manually switched off, giving players full control over their gameplay. For those feeling extra lucky, the Star Gamble Ladder appears after every base game win, allowing them to gamble their winnings by guessing the next star’s colour – pink or blue. Each correct guess doubles the prize and pushes the player up one level. The Golden Star can randomly appear at levels two to five to double the win instantly, no guess required.

“Santa Yeti brings together everything players love about Tom Horn games – fun, engaging mechanics, and a great story to match. It’s festive, it’s fresh, and it’s packed with features that keep the excitement rolling. We wanted to end the year on a high note, and Santa Yetti does exactly that with humour, charm, and plenty of win potential,” said Ondrej Lapides, CEO at Tom Horn Gaming.

Blending simple yet fast-paced gameplay with dynamic mechanics, Santa Yetti offers short, mobile-optimised sessions that are sure to delight both casual spinners and seasoned players. Its engaging format and rewarding features make it a perfect choice for operators looking to boost engagement during the high-traffic festive season. With its playful theme, quirky light-hearted style, and generous win potential, Santa Yetti is set to make this Christmas truly santastic.

The post Tom Horn Gaming Unwraps a Frosty Treat with Santa Yetti appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Emily Tofield Incoming Chief Executive of Ygam

Ygam appoints Emily Tofield as new Chief Executive

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Emily Tofield has been the appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer of Ygam, the UK’s leading charity dedicated to preventing gaming and gambling harms among children and young people. She will officially join the charity on the 6 January 2026.

Emily joins the charity following a 20-year career in leadership roles across UK government, local government, higher education and research, the media, and the not-for-profit sector.  Her previous roles include posts in the Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Justice, the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, the University of Sussex, and at the City of London Corporation. With a distinguished breadth of expertise in strategic communications, she is recognised as a leading adviser across strategy, corporate affairs, reputation, marketing, policy, and fundraising.

Emily is an experienced non-executive, currently serving on the board of the Kent homelessness charity, Porchlight.  She is Chair Designate of the Girls’ Learning Trust (GLT), the largest all-girls state multi-academy trust in the UK and was recently appointed to the Board of the British Dietetic Association (BDA).

Mike Wojcik, Chair of Ygam, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Emily to Ygam following a highly competitive recruitment process. Her depth of experience and proven leadership across stakeholder and political engagement, and social impact, will be instrumental as we enter our next strategic cycle. Emily joins an exceptionally strong leadership team, and this appointment marks an important new chapter for Ygam as we continue to strengthen our position as a trusted expert voice and sector leader dedicated to preventing gaming, gambling, and digital harms among young people.”

Emily Tofield, Incoming Chief Executive of Ygam, said: “Ygam has reached record numbers of young people as part of its critical mission to protect children and young people from gaming and gambling harms and to help safeguard their digital futures. As a passionate advocate for the benefits of prevention, it is a huge privilege to take on the role of Chief Executive of such a respected national education and prevention charity whose work already makes a difference to so many. High-quality, inclusive, evidence-based, preventative education around gaming and gambling harms remains as important today as when Ygam was founded, and I’m looking forward to working with the impressive Ygam team to further grow its reach, partnerships and impact in the years ahead.”

The post Ygam appoints Emily Tofield as new Chief Executive appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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ZEAL and bet-at-home launch joint gaming initiative

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  • bet-at-home integrates  ZEAL Instant Games titles into its German website
  • First selection of ZEAL slots now available
  • Partnership boosts reach, portfolio strength, and growth for both companies

ZEAL Instant Games, a brand of the ZEAL Group and a provider of  online games, announces a new strategic partnership with online gaming operator bet-at-home. As part of the collaboration, bet-at-home seamlessly integrates the growing portfolio of ZEAL slots into its website. The first titles are already available to customers on bet-at-home.de.

Stronger together: Premium content meets established brand presence

Both partners stand to benefit from the collaboration: While bet-at-home expands its portfolio offering with ZEAL titles – enhancing its appeal and reach within the online games segment – ZEAL Instant Games gains another prominent partner whose market presence accelerates the brand’s dynamic growth and enables access to a broader user base.

In addition to best-selling ZEAL titles such as “The Bookmaker”, “Crime Scene”, “Vegas Blaze“, and other premium slots, the portfolio will continue to grow steadily in the coming months.

Shared perspectives

“Our mission is to make innovative, high-quality games accessible to the widest possible audience,” says Alex Green, Vice President Games at ZEAL. “With bet-at-home, we are gaining a partner that has held a strong position in the market for many years. This collaboration opens up new opportunities for expanding our reach and underscores the enormous potential of our growing games portfolio.”

From bet-at-home’s side: “We are delighted to have ZEAL Instant Games as a partner known for quality, creativity, and reliable performance,” says Claus Retschitzegger, CEO, bet-at-home. “The new ZEAL titles are a great addition to our offering and provide our customers with exciting and varied gaming experiences. This partnership is an important element of our growth strategy.”

The post ZEAL and bet-at-home launch joint gaming initiative appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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