French online gambling market recovers after troublesome Q2

Online gambling in France has recorded a significant recovery in Q3 2020 as sports betting, horseracing and poker figures all increased. Despite a decimated summer schedule of sport, with the UEFA European Championship and Olympics postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, sports betting volume rose by 49% year-on-year (YoY) for Q3, according to the latest data from the French regulator (ANJ). ANJ noted that total bets on sports amounted to €1.6bn, which also represented the highest betting volume for a single quarter in a decade. Gross gaming revenue (GGR) for sports betting increased 6% YoY to €228m in Q3 2020. Football continues to account for the lion’s share of sports betting GGR with €128m, followed by tennis (€56m) and basketball (€20m) to round off the top three. The figures posted for Q3 represent a stark comparison to that of Q2, when sports betting total bets and GGR amounted to just €121m and €20m respectively.

Elsewhere, French horseracing recorded a 32% annual leap in GGR to €87m in Q3 2020, with €363m staked on the vertical during the reporting period. While online poker figures were significantly up on last year, its quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) transition showed signs of slowing, as the furore around the vertical earlier in the year looks to have subsided. Poker GGR amounted to €90m for Q3, a YoY increase of 36%, however this figure represents a downturn from the €142m in GGR recorded in Q2 2020. Overall, ANJ reported that total GGR across French gambling had grown by 17% YoY, hitting €405m, while the total number of players in the market also increased by 29% to 2.7 million. Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin, ANJ chair, said that despite the overwhelmingly positive uptick, the onus remained on operators to continue to serve their customers responsibly and in line with regulations. Falque-Pierrotin said: “This online gambling market recovery must be accompanied by greater accountability from operators. “Indeed, unlike the first lockdown, the sports and horse betting gambling offer is widely available and this situation can constitute a breeding ground for the development of excessive or risky practices for people weakened by this unprecedented context,” she added.