The French National Gaming Authority (ANJ) has published a comprehensive report analyzing the performance and management of online sports betting across the country in 2025.
Football expansion and tennis progress drive market momentum
During 2025, gross gaming revenue from online sports betting reached €1,766 million, marking a 10.4 percent increase, while total stakes climbed 12.0 percent to €11,517 million. Beyond growth metrics, the regulatory report sheds light on betting structures and the wagering habits of players identified as excessive.
Sports betting maintained strong momentum throughout 2025 despite a calendar lacking major international tournaments. Football remained the dominant driver, contributing nearly half of the segment growth and two-thirds of gross gaming revenue. The expansion of the Champions League from 137 matches in 2024 to 189 matches in 2025 resulted in a 48.6 percent surge in stakes. Meanwhile, tennis accounted for 23.0 percent of total stakes and achieved a 16.0 percent growth rate without relying on exceptional sporting events.
The report also highlighted the strict management of the return to player (RTP) rate, which is capped at an annual average of 85 percent per operator. Driven by market adjustments, the actual annual RTP stood at 84.67 percent at the close of November 2025.
Analysis of player behavior and problem gambling risks
An examination of football betting data from early 2026 revealed significant behavioral differences between recreational bettors and those identified as excessive or manifestly excessive. Recreational players predominantly favored high profile competitions, such as the 2026 World Cup, and bets on tournament outcomes or final results.
Conversely, players identified as excessive directed over 80 percent of their stakes toward secondary leagues in regions such as Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and Australia. Furthermore, these players heavily favored live betting on specific periods of play, such as halves, quarters, sets, or individual games, accounting for 80 percent to 89 percent of their total stakes. The ANJ notes that these findings could inform future regulatory frameworks aimed at integrating enhanced player protection measures into authorized betting platforms.
