Illegal online gambling market expands in France

"The numbers are exploding, and players are in danger on these sites," warned Nicolas Béraud, president of the French Online Gambling Association (AFJEL) and CEO of Betclic, on Franceinfo on Tuesday, November 4, as the illegal online gambling market explodes in France, according to AFJEL's 2025 barometer. "More than 80% of players don't even know they're on illegal sites," he continued.

Around 5.4 million French people gamble on the illegal online gambling market, compared to 3.5 million players on the regulated market. The number of players on the illegal market has increased by 35% since 2023. "The problem with these illegal sites is that they do everything they can to make themselves seem legal: they use fake logos of the national regulatory authority and fake license numbers," emphasizes Nicolas Béraud.

Illegal online casinos and esports betting in France
The study also shows that 62% of players (more than 3 million) on the illegal market are addicted, exhibiting "excessive or pathological gambling." According to AFJEL (the French Online Gambling Association), there is no protection for this illegal offering: no identity verification, no responsible gambling policy, and no data protection. Consequently, 70% of players have fallen victim to cybersecurity issues (data theft, phishing, financial fraud, etc.). The barometer also reveals that 90% of players using illegal sites gambled after receiving unsolicited advertising.

"Their main appeal is offering online casino games, since legal operators in France are currently prohibited from doing so, unlike in the rest of Europe," criticizes Nicolas Béraud. In France, the only authorized online gambling activities are horse racing, sports betting, and poker. All others (online casinos, esports betting, etc.) are prohibited. However, the most popular games on the illegal market are online casinos, sports betting (1.3 million players), and esports betting (1 million players), the barometer reveals.

A loss of revenue for the State?

Nicolas Béraud argues for "bringing this illegal activity back into the French market, regulating it, and establishing a framework." "This," he believes, "will protect players" and "generate significant tax revenue for the state." This illegal market represents two billion euros in gross gaming revenue (the difference between players' bets and winnings paid out), 25% more than in 2023. "The state would capture, depending of course on the level of taxation it chooses to impose, more than 1.2 billion of this revenue," he estimates.

"On a legal site," asserts the CEO of Betclic, "you have to prove your identity and age, send your bank details, you set limits, and operators have obligations to provide prevention and support to players if they gamble excessively, all under very strict control by the national gaming authority. So, we're in a highly protected environment in France, whereas on illegal sites, it's the Wild West."

Edited by Diane Warin.