France’s regulated gambling market excluding casinos generated gross gaming revenue (GGR) of €5.66bn in the first half of 2026, an increase of just 0.5 per cent year on year, according to the Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ). Online GGR rose 11 per cent to €1.45bn, helped by World Cup betting in June, while retail operators FDJ United and PMU both recorded falls. The half-year review, published on 16 October 2026, shows a sharp slowdown from the 4.1 per cent growth recorded in H1 2025 and underlines the divergent performance of online and retail channels.
Overall H1 2026 growth slows to 0.5 per cent
The €5.66bn figure excluded casinos and gaming clubs. The 0.5 per cent annual increase compared with 4.1 per cent growth a year earlier. According to the ANJ’s half-year market review, online operators now account for 25.6 per cent of total market GGR. Total stakes rose 10.6 per cent over the six months to €6.6bn, though the pattern was uneven.
World Cup betting drives June online surge
Licensed online operators generated €1.45bn in GGR during H1 2026, an 11 per cent rise. The regulator said the jump in online betting was concentrated in June, when the FIFA World Cup was underway. Stakes grew 4 per cent between January and May, but increased 47 per cent in June. Online sports betting GGR climbed 11.6 per cent to €995m, while the ANJ described online betting as the “driving force” ahead of online poker and horse racing. June accounted for the bulk of new player registrations, with 69 per cent more active player accounts between June 2025 and June 2026. The regulator reported 5.85 million active player accounts across the first half, up 24 per cent year on year. “With 5.85 million CJAs [active player accounts], the online market enters the second half of the year with an unprecedented player base,” the ANJ said.
Retail operators FDJ United and PMU weigh on revenue
FDJ United’s GGR from its French lottery and retail sports betting businesses fell 2 per cent to €3.4bn, according to the ANJ’s figures. Lottery draw games were a weak spot, with revenue down 7.6 per cent amid fewer and smaller Euromillions jackpots and unusually warm weather reducing retail footfall in the second quarter. Focus Gaming News reported that FDJ still accounts for 61 per cent of total French gambling market GGR, and the ANJ said the operator intends to stabilise its domestic operations by the end of the financial year. PMU’s GGR fell 5.8 per cent to €782m, a faster decline than the 2.6 per cent drop in H1 2025. The ANJ described the trend as “accelerating”; PMU is implementing its state-supported Pacte PMU 2030 restructuring programme, under which its financial contribution to French racing is expected to fall to €725m in 2026 from €802m.
Poker and horse racing verticals show strength
Online poker GGR rose 13.4 per cent to €290m, supported by a 38.5 per cent increase in active player accounts to 2.3 million. The regulator said growth in poker participation was more consistent through the half-year than the June spike in sports betting. Horse race betting stakes increased 16 per cent to €920m, the highest since 2021. PMU has said it is launching a new horse race betting product as it tries to re-engage core customers.
Outlook depends on post-World Cup activity
The ANJ cautioned that full-year growth will depend in part on the monopoly retail operators, which have a large weight in the market. It added: “Its annual growth will depend on the activity of these players after the FIFA World Cup.” The regulator noted that with the record active player base, the online market enters the second half with an unprecedented base, but whether those players remain active beyond the tournament remains to be seen.
