Is Gambling Legal in France?

France is a large, disciplined EU market with a single national regulator, the Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), established by the Ordonnance n° 2019‑1015 (2019), which modernised the framework originally opened by Loi n° 2010‑476 (2010). ANJ's authority extends to online sports betting, horse-race betting, and poker. Online casinos remain prohibited.

The historic French horse‑race betting operator, Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU), holds exclusive rights in the retail network for horse racing bets, while La Française des Jeux (FDJ) holds exclusive rights for lottery games, both retail and online, as well as retail sports betting. Land-based casinos, however, operate under a separate licensing regime and are not part of the monopoly system.

Online Gambling in France

Regulatory Authority	Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ)
Key legislation	Loi n° 2010‑476 (2010) Ordonnance n° 2019‑1015 (2019) Loi n° 2025‑199 (2025)
Allowed activities	Licensed online sports betting, horse‑race betting and poker (licence required per category)
Prohibited activities	Among others: online casino games and esports betting operating without ANJ agrément
Taxation and fees	Online sports betting: social contribution 15% of GGR from 1 July 2025 Online poker: 10% of GGR
Licence validity/duration	ANJ agrément is granted for 5 years, renewable
Benefits of the market	Scalability and transparency Large addressable demand, a mature compliance environment, and a single national regulator (ANJ) covering online and supervising RG for land‑based. Clear online scope Straightforward product definition (sports, horse, poker only) with a 5‑year agrément cycle and detailed compliance guidelines.
SOFTSWISS products compliant	No products available at the moment

Land-Based Gambling in France

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Key legislation	Code de la sécurité intérieure, Title II (Casinos)
Allowed activities	Among others: land‑based casinos PMU horse‑betting network FDJ lotteries (exclusive rights in retail; specific online rights for FDJ/PMU)
Prohibited activities	Among others: unauthorised betting operations breeches of player-protection
Taxation	Sector‑specific levies apply; 2025 reforms increased retail sports‑betting social contribution from 6.6% to 7.6% of GGR.