AFJEL press release following the publication of the 2023 data for French online gaming market

After a year of no growth in 2022, the 2023 statistics reveal:

-A continuous decline in the number of players: -2.2% for active accounts and -5.3% for single players on the legal market while the illegal market continues to expand by multiplying its audience x8 since 2016 (from 500,000 to 4 million players).

-Growth of the French online gaming market below the European average (3.5% for France compared to 5.5% for the European market).

-An abnormal evolution for a sector in a phase of digitalisation, all the more marked for sports betting: the figures indicate more robust growth in physical points of sale (10.4% compared to 6.4% for the online market) as well as a decline in the market share of online betting in the overall gross gaming revenue."

Nicolas Beraud, President of AFJEL, warns: "The illicit market continues its very strong expansion through the illegal online casino which has now become a Trojan horse to also capture players in sports betting. More than 4 million players are in danger on these illegal sites, without any control. Despite the efforts made by the authorities to stem the phenomenon of illegal gambling, we have reached an unprecedented situation: for the first time since the opening of the online gaming market in 2010, there are more players on the illegal market than on the legal market. While approved operators are fully mobilised, alongside public authorities in anticipation of the preparation of Euro football and the Paris Olympic Games, the only method that works to dry up illegal supply is to regulate casino games online and thus bring players back to a protective, safe and responsible environment."