Unlicensed Gambling Halves French Bets on Euro 2024

Unlicensed Gambling Leads to Significant Drop in French Bets for Euro 2024

The French betting market faces a crisis during Euro 2024!

Unlicensed gambling has caused a significant drop in bets placed with licensed bookmakers.

Discover how this trend affects the market and what it means for the future of regulated betting.

Stay informed on the latest developments and efforts to combat illegal gambling in France.

Unlicensed Gambling Leads to Significant Drop in French Bets for Euro 2024

The online gaming association AFJEL has revealed a troubling trend in the French betting market during Euro 2024. Due to the proliferation of unlicensed gambling, French bookmakers recorded only about half of the expected betting handle. The French gambling regulator ANJ had anticipated that French bettors would wager €1 billion on the tournament in Germany, but the final figure was significantly lower.

Impact of Unlicensed Gambling

AFJEL’s findings highlight the growing challenge of unlicensed gambling in France. The association warned that there are now more people using unlicensed operators than licensed ones, with four million individuals engaging in black market betting in 2023, compared to 3.6 million who placed bets on the regulated market. This shift has led to a 25% drop in betting volumes on the regulated market compared to the 2022 World Cup, and a flat performance compared to Euro 2020.

During Euro 2020, online bets totaled €343 million, with La Francaise des Jeux’s retail network contributing to a total handle of €500 million. However, the current figures indicate a continuing downward trend in the regulated market.

Stagnation and Decline in the Licensed Market

AFJEL’s report suggests that the licensed market saw zero growth in 2022 and 2023, with a 5.3% decrease in the number of unique players. These figures starkly contrast with data from the ANJ, painting a grim picture of the regulated betting landscape.

“This development, contrary to European trends and the digitalization of the sector, confirms the massive diversion of players from the legal offer to the illegal market, the impact and danger of which cannot be precisely assessed at this stage,” AFJEL stated.

Challenges in Combating the Black Market

Nicolas Béraud, president of AFJEL, emphasized that while Euro 2024 was successful in terms of player protection among licensed operators, unlicensed operators continue to operate with “complete impunity.” He pointed out that despite regulatory efforts, the blocking of illegal sites has not effectively curbed the growth of the black market.

“If Euro 2024 shows surprisingly low results for licensed operators, the illegal market is now continuing its strong expansion by cannibalizing the online sports betting sector and diverting players from the legal offer,” Béraud said. “Illegal online casino sites have offered, with complete impunity, a sports betting offer on Euro 2024 with very attractive odds and without any player protection measures. Despite the actions taken by the regulator, the blocking of illegal sites is still not working.”

Efforts to Raise Awareness

In response to these challenges, the ANJ launched an awareness and prevention campaign on gambling harm ahead of Euro 2024. Designed by the agency Rosbeef!, the campaign aimed to highlight the risks of sports betting addiction and criticized the mandatory warnings on gambling operators’ ads as insufficient.

The campaign featured stories of addiction and directed people to the Evalujeu website, which provides tools for evaluating gambling habits and accessing support services. It included digital display ads, social ads on Snapchat, a digital audio radio spot, publication in So Foot, and video clips with player testimonials.

Conclusion

The rise of unlicensed gambling in France during Euro 2024 has significantly impacted the regulated betting market, halving the expected betting handle and highlighting the need for stronger enforcement measures. Despite efforts by the ANJ and AFJEL to combat illegal gambling and raise awareness about its risks, the black market continues to thrive, drawing players away from legal options.

As the French betting industry grapples with these challenges, ongoing efforts to enhance regulatory frameworks and player protection measures will be crucial in curbing the influence of unlicensed operators and restoring confidence in the regulated market. Stay tuned for further updates as France intensifies its fight against illegal gambling and seeks to safeguard its betting landscape.