French Online Gambling Continues To Enjoy Strong Growth

Online gambling is still a growth market, very much in the early stages of its infancy as an industry. While it feels like online casinos and sports betting sites have been around forever, they’re still only a couple of decades old, and it’s only around a decade or so since mobile gaming has become a credible option. With the global market worth multiple billions and counting annually, there are a number of emerging markets with legalised, regulated gambling that are experiencing their own levels of growth.

France is the latest example, according to reports emerging this week. Figures released by ARJEL, the body responsible for regulating gaming in France, show that regulated gambling activity increased across the entire market in the first quarter of 2018, continuing a trend of growth that has made France an increasingly attractive option for international casino operators.

The figures reflected growth across each of the main online verticals. Online sports betting operators, for example, handled as much as 847.0 million of wagers in the quarter, up over a third on the same period for the previous year. The figure also represents a new high water mark for the industry, setting an all-time high for revenues handled in the period.

Online better revenue grew at an even faster pace, up some 55% on the year, to top 147.0 million, while the average number of customers betting per week also grew by 53%. Favourable results for operators have helped with margins, too.

Football was again the major driver of betting activity in the sports vertical, accounting for around 55% of all wagers over the period. French clubs making it to the later stages of the Champions League and Europa League have been influential for the industry, according to the report, which attributed the 73% growth in football betting to these factors.

Tennis and basketball were also important markets for the industry in the first quarter, landing 125.0 million and 80.6 million respectively. Similarly, horse racing was up by 9%, to around 270.0 million, with online poker posting strong growth, in at 18%.

The picture is one of healthy growth across the industry, with revenues up across the board. Interestingly, however, the news comes amidst a small decline in the number of players each week, down 1% on the period.

It’s also intriguing to note that the fastest growth came from female gambling, up 30%, compared to a 26% growth in revenues from male gamblers. The developments coincide with an industry-wide reduction in marketing spend, down to 42.0 million, from 50.0 million in the previous year.

The news will make for happy reading for those operating in the French market, as well as for regulators and state authorities capitalising on gambling revenues. They are an example of how an effective, regulated, licensed market for online gambling can create compelling offers for consumers, while operating within regulations and compliance requirements.

At a time when online gambling markets, like France, are experiencing strong growth worldwide, figures like these only increase the pressure on those more restrictive jurisdictions. Opening up online gambling markets, which already exist in the grey market in outlawed jurisdictions anyway, ensures consumers are protected and tax revenues collected – undeniably the best way to support both players, and operators in fulfilling that consumer demand.

With the French example only the latest success story, it remains to be seen whether this week’s figures will go any way to influencing those lawmakers who still take a regressive approach to gambling regulation and licensing.