Stakes have more than doubled compared to 2022, amid concerns about excessive gambling and player protection.
The 2026 Football World Cup, the first edition with 48 teams compared to 32 previously, has generated unprecedented enthusiasm for sports betting in France. According to the National Gaming Authority (ANJ), recorded stakes reached 1.3 billion euros, more than double the 2022 edition. This new record is accompanied by a marked increase in the number of bettors and raises concerns about the risks of excessive gambling.
Historic records for stakes and participation
“More than 1.3 billion euros in stakes and 157 million euros in gross gaming product”, that is to say players’ stakes minus their winnings, “were recorded, more than double the amounts for the 2022 edition (597 million euros in stakes and 70 million euros in PBJ)”, according to a press release from the ANJ. The France-Spain semi-final on July 14 became the match that generated the most bets since 2010 with 63 million euros in bets placed online, specifies the sector regulatory authority.
The number of bettors increased by more than 40% with 3.1 million players who placed nearly 113 million bets during the competition, compared to 2.2 million players and 54 million bets in 2022.
If 44% of players have placed less than ten bets on the competition, around 15,000 players have made more than 500, underlines the ANJ. Overall, 471,000 players have lost more than 100 euros while only 217,000 have won at least this amount. Only about a quarter of the players finished the competition without losses, despite the progress of the Blues, adds the ANJ, which “will monitor in the coming months the effects of the competition on the evolution of excessive play”.
The authority estimates that 15% of French bettors “have a high probability of being excessive”, that is to say unable to stop gambling or play less despite negative consequences.
The ANJ deplores the abandonment of the whistle-to-whistle ban, a measure which prohibits the broadcast of advertising for sports betting on television during matches. This measure was adopted by the National Assembly as part of the discussion on the proposed law relating to the organization, management and financing of professional sport, and then deleted by the joint committee.
The ANJ, however, welcomes the positive signal represented by the adoption by Parliament of several measures which strengthen the arsenal to fight against illegal offers, and of several protective measures for players aged 18 to 25 for online gaming.
In 2024, Internet stakes will have crossed the 10 billion euro mark, according to the ANJ’s annual report. Football remains by far the favored sport of bettors, with 60% of bets (5.6 billion euros), online and at points of sale.
