According to data from the French National Gaming Authority (ANJ), the total gross gaming revenue (GGR) in France for the first half of 2025 increased by 3.5% year-over-year, reaching 5.7 billion euros. This growth was primarily driven by the robust performance of the online sports betting market, which saw a revenue increase of 10%, with betting amounts reaching 6 billion euros. Football continues to be the most popular betting sport, accounting for 52% of the total betting volume. The FDJ Group's revenue grew by 19% due to its acquisition of Kindred, while PMU experienced a slight decline in revenue.
Overall Revenue and Market Performance
In the first half of 2025, France's total gaming revenue reached 5.7 billion euros (approximately 6.7 billion USD), a 3.5% increase from 5.5 billion euros in the same period of 2024. This data, released by the ANJ, does not include the operational results of physical casinos and gaming clubs.
Over the past few years, France's gaming revenue in the first half of the year has maintained a steady growth trend, mainly due to the continuous expansion of the online gaming industry. The online gaming sector's revenue increased by 6% in the first half of the year, reaching 1.4 billion euros, becoming a key factor in driving overall growth.
Outstanding Performance in Online Sports Betting
Online sports betting performed particularly strongly, with revenue increasing by 10% year-over-year to 961 million euros. The betting volume grew by 15%, reaching 6 billion euros, indicating a significant increase in market activity. The number of individual player accounts also grew by 10%, showing a continuous expansion of the user base.
It is noteworthy that this growth was achieved in the first half of the year without any major global sports events. The same period in 2024 included the early stages of the UEFA European Championship, while 2025 lacked similar large-scale events, yet the market still maintained strong growth.
Sports Betting Distribution
Football continues to hold its position as the favorite sport among French bettors, accounting for 52% of the total betting volume. Tennis is second, accounting for 26%, followed by basketball and rugby, which account for 9% and 2% respectively. Other sports collectively make up the remaining 11% of the betting share.
This distribution reflects the continuous preference of French bettors for traditional sports, while also indicating that niche sports markets still have room for development. Football's dominant position further consolidates its status as the core betting sport in the market.
Performance of Other Gaming Sectors
Online poker revenue fell by 4% to 246 million euros, with cash poker game revenue down 15% to 47 million euros. Despite a 10% increase in the number of individual players, overall revenue still declined, which ANJ attributes to the product's cross-selling strategy.
Online horse race betting revenue remained stable at 174 million euros, with betting amounts increasing by 1% to 795 million euros, but the growth rate was lower than in previous years. The number of individual players in online horse racing decreased by 3%, indicating growth challenges in this sector.
Performance of FDJ Group
The French gaming company (FDJ) completed the acquisition of Kindred Group in October last year, driving a 19% increase in revenue for the first half of the year, reaching 4.4 billion euros. Sports betting remains its main source of revenue, reaching 3.5 billion euros, a 4% increase from the previous year.
Online gaming and game revenue soared by 458%, reaching 703 million euros, mainly driven by the acquisition of Kindred. International lottery revenue fell by 9% to 168 million euros, showing a divergence in performance across different business sectors.
Operating Situation of PMU
Paris mutual urbain (PMU) separately reported that its revenue for the first half of the year exceeded 830 million euros, a 2.6% decrease from the same period in 2024. The shareholding ratio fell by 4.2% to 3.2 billion euros, reflecting certain pressures in the market.
PMU faced challenges in the first quarter, with revenue down by 4% and bets down by 5.5%. Although there was a slight recovery in the second quarter, revenue still fell by 1.3% and bets by 3%, indicating that overall recovery still requires time.
Market Trends and Future Outlook
ANJ points out that the current growth "masks" certain trends in the market, with clear differences in performance across different sectors. The strong growth in online sports betting contrasts with the weak performance of other sectors, reflecting changes in market structure.
The regulatory body will continue to monitor market developments to ensure healthy and stable growth in the industry. Investors and operators need to pay attention to performance differences in various sub-sectors and develop corresponding strategies.
