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On April 30, 2025, HIPTHER will gather gambling industry leaders, legal experts, and operators for the iGaming Exchange Virtual Meetup.
The spotlight? France’s gambling sector — a market both promising and precarious.
France is fine-tuning its modernization, consumer protection, and market sustainability approach. With projections placing gross gaming revenue (GGR) at €15 billion by 2026, the stakes are high for anyone playing in this field.
The upcoming meetup couldn’t have come at a better moment.
Key Takeaways:
- Parisian gaming clubs receive a critical extension, dodging a full shutdown—but bigger questions linger.
- France’s horse racing and pari-mutuel betting scene is inching toward digital modernization.
- ANJ under Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin is doubling down on sustainability, advertising reforms, and illegal gambling crackdowns.
- Tensions between land-based and online operators are intensifying, especially around casino legalization.
- The HIPTHER event offers a rare opportunity to catch strategic insights directly from those shaping the market.
Parisian Gaming Clubs: Breathing Room, but No Victory Lap
The 2025 Finance Act extended the experimental operation of Parisian gaming clubs until December 31, 2027.
For months, the industry was caught in limbo. When the legislation stalled at the end of 2024, clubs were forced to shut down operations at the start of 2025. The fallout was swift and painful.
€4 million in lost tax revenue. 1,500 workers sidelined overnight.
Operators like Groupe Barrière and Groupe Partouche saw their investments evaporate while waiting for Parliament to act. Customers, too, had nowhere to play legally within the city.
The new extension, while welcomed, avoids a broader conversation about full legalization. France’s caution stems from a desire to curb money laundering risks and protect vulnerable players—especially minors.
Clément Martin Saint-Léon of Barrière Group summed up the mood:
“The reopening is a relief for our employees and customers. We now need long-term stability to justify further investments in Paris.”
For now, the city’s seven gaming clubs are gearing up to reopen by late April. Together, they pump an estimated €200 million into Paris’s economy annually. But without permanent legal footing, future investments remain a gamble themselves.
Pari-Mutuel Betting: A Digital Nudge, Not a Full Revolution
France’s iconic horse racing sector — run primarily by Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU) — is undergoing its most notable reform in over a decade.
The 2025 Finance Act introduced two major shifts:
- In-Play Betting: Gamblers can now wager while a race is happening.
- Historical Race Betting: Bettors can place pari-mutuel bets on outcomes from past races, archived for digital play.
The horse racing industry desperately needs the boost. PMU’s betting turnover shrank to €9.8 billion in 2024, a 2% year-over-year decline, and its customer base has eroded dramatically since 2010.
Why does it matter?
The horse racing sector isn’t just tradition; it’s economic muscle. 40,000 jobs depend on it, alongside an €800 million annual contribution to state finances.
The reforms are a clear move to reengage younger demographics, who now expect real-time digital interaction.
Still, some insiders feel these steps are only a half-measure. The real disruptor would be introducing fixed-odds betting, but that idea remains politically radioactive for now.
ANJ Leadership: Balancing Innovation with Prudence
Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin, reappointed as Chair of the ANJ (Autorité Nationale des Jeux) in 2023, remains committed to a vision centered on market health, ethical growth, and consumer protection.
Since stepping into the role in 2020, Falque-Pierrotin has tackled some of France’s thorniest regulatory issues head-on:
- Stricter Advertising Standards:
Gone are the days of flashy inducements. Today, operators face tighter restrictions around free bets, and sponsorship deals are scrutinized like never before. - Illegal Gambling Crackdown:
Through enhanced KYC protocols and blockchain surveillance tools, the ANJ is aggressively pursuing offshore, unlicensed operators. - Public Health Funding via Ad Spend Tax:
A newly imposed 15% tax on gambling ad budgets (excluding the PMU) will feed into addiction prevention programs.
Still, challenges loom large.
The debate around online casino legalization is heating up. Studies show France’s illegal iCasino market rakes in €1.5 billion annually. Legalizing the sector could plug the leak—but would hurt traditional casinos, who fear they can’t compete with the 24/7 convenience of online platforms.
Meanwhile, operators like FDJ are pushing back hard against new tax burdens. Facing an estimated €90 million in fresh levies, they argue profitability is being squeezed in a fragmented, highly regulated market.
In short, ANJ’s regulatory ambitions are necessary, but they are pulling the industry into growing pains that it may not be fully ready to handle.
HIPTHER’s Virtual Meetup: An Industry Temperature Check
The upcoming iGaming Exchange Virtual Meetup on April 30 isn’t just another industry talk-fest.
It’s a real-time pulse check on where France’s gambling market is heading – and how fast.
Key Agenda Points:
- How operators can adjust to the Finance Act’s changes.
- Opportunities hidden in pari-mutuel modernization.
- Updates on France’s AML (Anti-Money Laundering) compliance.
- Navigating the shifting advertising and taxation environment.
Speakers like Claire Pinson-Bessonnet from CPB Avocats bring sharp legal perspectives. Industry executives, compliance officers, and policymakers will also share frontline strategies for adapting.
Why Attend?
- Tactical Insights: Get real-world advice you can actually use, not just theory.
- Networking Gold: Meet 300+ serious industry players in a dynamic virtual environment.
- Interactive Q&A: Bring your questions and get unvarnished answers.
Given the uncertainty – and opportunity – shaping the French market today, missing this session would be like ignoring a weather forecast during a hurricane.
Conclusion: Adapt or Be Left Behind
France’s gambling industry is at a critical crossroads.
Legacy models like land-based casinos and pari-mutuel betting are being forced to evolve—or risk irrelevance. Meanwhile, the shadow of illegal gambling looms large, draining billions from regulated operators and tax authorities alike.
With 40% of players still gambling illegally, reforms aren’t optional. They are existential.
The HIPTHER meetup on April 30 is more than a “nice to have.” It’s a lifeline for anyone serious about playing – and winning – in France’s shifting gambling market.
The ones who listen, learn, and adapt now? They’ll be the ones left standing when the dust settles. You can get ahead by joining a crypto casino to stay ahead of the updates.
References
- HIPTHER Event Info
- European Gaming: France’s Gambling Sector Update
- ANJ Official Site
- Paris Gaming Clubs Update
- FDJ Financial Report 2023
- PMU Betting Statistics
- Compliance Insights from European Gaming
- HIPTHER Meetup Preview
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