Gambling - Overview

Recently, public authorities have focused significantly on gambling due to its classification as a “behavioral” addiction and its potential to cause notable social and health damage.

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Introduction/Background

Gambling is defined as “any operation made available to the public, regardless of its designation, for the purpose of causing the hope of a gain whose realisation depends, even partially, on chance and in consideration for which the operator requires a financial contribution from participants” (Order no. 2019-1015 of 2 October 2019 - art. 2, article L320-1 of the Public Safety Code). The main types of gambling are legally authorised and operated, whether it be under exclusive rights at points of sale, or on a competitive basis for online activity:

  • The lottery, which includes draw-based and scratchcard games, and the game offer of which, operated at points of sale and online, is entrusted to the French National Lottery Operator (FDJ).
  • Sports betting, the game offer of which is also carried out at points of sale under a monopoly entrusted to FDJ, and online by agreed operators, on a competitive basis. The evolving list of operators who are authorised to sell their game offers by sector is available to view on the French Gambling Authority (ANJ) website.
  • Horse race games, the game offer of which is also operated at points of sale under a monopoly entrusted to the French racecourse bookmaker (PMU), and online by agreed operators, on a competitive basis.
  • Poker, the game offer of which is primarily operated on a competitive basis via the Internet and in casino establishments and gambling clubs in Paris.
  • Tables games and slot machines offered by casino establishments and gambling clubs. For the latter, only table games (banking games, electronic games, poker) are authorised.

Furthermore, certain highly speculative financial bets (Forex and binary options, e.g. the outcome of which only has two solutions) are often considered to be gambling. They involve betting on the rise or fall of a financial asset, or currency, within a very short period of time. This type of gambling remains secondary. At the same time, betting on e-sports tournaments (gaming competitions such as League of Legends and Super Smash Bros) is growing increasingly among the youngest populations.

Production/supply

An old and important economic sector

Originally banned by the Royal State and illegal for a long time, gambling was legalised in France at the end of the 18th century with the creation of the Loterie Royale (Royal Lottery). In the 19th century, casinos appeared (decree of 1806), followed in the 20th century by the PMU (French racecourse bookmaker in 1931), and the Loterie Royale (in 1933). These three gambling operators still represent the largest share of the gambling sector in France.

PMU benefits from a monopolistic system for marketing horse race betting (off the racecourse) via their network of points of sale spread across the country (13 436 points of sale reported in 2022). 234 racecourses complement this offer, where gamblers can place their bets. Equally, the French national lottery operator (FDJ) takes advantage of a similar situation for the marketing of draw-based/scratchcard games and sports betting at points of sale (29 862 retailers in 2022). 203 casino establishments expand this physical offer by marketing table games and slot machines. The 7 gambling clubs in Paris offer table games. This physical gambling offer is complemented by an Internet offer where, since 2010, France has implemented a new private operator authorisation regime in a limited gambling sector: sports betting, horse race betting, poker. Only online lottery games remain under the monopoly of the FDJ.

Internet supply

The regulated supply of Internet gambling is limited to the following sectors: lottery games (draw-based and scratchcard games), sports betting, poker, and horse race betting. Although it has been possible to engage in sports and horse race betting via the Internet, through the FDJ and PMU’s commercial offer, the law of 12 May 2010, has enabled the arrival of new actors in a sector which was previously a monopoly. With the controlled opening to competition in three sectors (sports betting, horse race betting, and poker) France has seen the implementation of new operators in its market. At the end of 2022, 17 operators were sharing 30 authorisations.

Financial impacts of gambling

The gambling industry attracts tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs and achieved a turnover of almost 12.9 billion euros in 2022. Gambling expenditures have steadily increased and represent 12.0% of expenditure linked to leisure and culture (in comparison with 8.9% in 2008). Currently, the net expenditure per adult inhabitant stands at 242 euros (in comparison with 169 euros in 2008).

In France, gambling taxation is placed on bets (except for in casinos), with every activity being subject to specific deductions. The reform drawn up by the PACTE law (action plan for business growth and transformation) in 2019, also generated a partial overhaul of gambling taxation: for online sports betting, the base of deductions initially placed on the volume of bets is carried forward to the gross gaming revenue for operators up to 1 January 2020.

Practice in the adolescent population

In 2022, 27.5% of 17-year-olds stated to have gambled at least once in the last year, and 4.0% said to have gambled at least once a week. Despite the decline in gambling practices observed between 2017 and 2022, regardless of gender, they remain higher among boys than girls. In relation to the adolescent population of 17-year-olds as a whole, the prevalence of potentially problematic gambling behaviours is estimated to be 0.4%.

The level of gambling practice during the year varies significantly depending on the region. Of the 12 regions in mainland France, four display levels of gambling practice which differ significantly from the overall average. In Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, over a third of 17-year-olds (35.7%) placed a gambling bet during the year, which is a +8.2 percentage point difference in comparison with the average (27.5%). There were also more players in the regions of Brittany (34.9% vs 27.5%, or rather +7.4 percentage points) and Hauts-de-France (30.9% vs 27.5%, or rather +3.5 percentage points). Only the Île-de-France region appeared significantly lower (21.9% vs 27.5%, or rather -5.6 percentage points).

Practice in the adult population

According to data from the 2019 Health Barometer, 47.2% of 18–75-year-olds have gambled in the last year. Lottery games (draw-based or scratchcard) are the most often reported (43.3% of 18–75-year-olds) ahead of sports and horse race betting (5.2% and 3.7% of 18–75-year-olds respectively), casino games, and poker. Traditional points of sale (FDJ or PMU) and casinos remain dominant even though the proportion of gambling carried out via the Internet is constantly increasing. In fact, in 2019, online gambling represented 16.1% of all gamblers.

This activity is more common among 25–64-year-olds who are professionally active, in intermediate occupations, than those in managerial and professional occupations.

Among those who stated to have gambled in the last year, 4.4% are classified by the Canadian Problem Gambling Index (CPGI) as moderate-risk gamblers and 1.6% as problem gamblers. In relation to the population of 18–75-year-olds as a whole, that would represent around 1 million people for the former, and 370 000 people for the latter.

Impacts

Knowledge on heath impacts and the social and individual cost of problem gambling is still fragmented. Although the economic benefits of the gambling industry and its positive impact on employment are recognised, it is difficult to measure the proportion of gamblers who encounter problems when it comes to their gambling practices. However, there may be a significant impact on individuals and their loved ones. The financial impacts, up to excessive debt or bankruptcy, are the most direct. But the problems can also concern relationships and family (separations, isolation...), be professional (job loss), psychological (depression, anxiety...), or even physical (symptoms associated with the use of alcohol or other psychoactive substances, undernourishment, suicide...). In the adolescent population, survey data allows the proportion of gamblers likely to engage in risky gambling practices to be estimated: in 2022, 1.3% of 17-year-olds who had gambled at least once in the last year, were at risk, according to the Canadian Problem Gambling Index. In the adult population (18–75-year-olds), 1.6% of gamblers are classified as problem gamblers.

Seeking treatment

The OFDT’s Common data collection on addictions and treatments (RECAP survey) which allows the development of treatment requests from drug users treated at national level to be studied, as well as their characteristics in specialised drug treatment centres (CSAPA), has been continually increasing in recent years in terms of the number of people treated for a behavioural addiction problem, notably associated with gambling. In 2021, 3.6% of patients admitted were those treated for a behavioural addiction (or rather 5 800 people).

Legal framework and recent public guidelines

All types of gambling are legally and openly offered to the adult population through a physical sales network and/or via the Internet (except for slot machines and casino games). They are controlled under gambling regulations.

Other games can be played with losses and gains (not authorised by law), involving at least some element of chance: card games, board and strategy games, and games of skill (such as snooker, darts, bowls, etc.).

The regulatory framework for gambling has changed dramatically in the last decade (2010-2020).

In 2010, France adopted a new legal and regulatory framework, regulating the online gambling sector (law of 12 May 2010), introducing a controlled opening to competition in the online betting market (sports betting, horse race betting, and poker), and putting an end to the FDJ and PMU’s government monopoly.

In 2019, as part of the PACTE law of 22 May 2019 no. 2019-486, pertaining to business growth and transformation, which notably stipulates the privatisation of the FDJ, the regulation of the gambling sector was reformed and entrusted to the French Gambling Authority (ANJ).

In view of contributing to the achievement of public policy objectives on gambling, a Monitoring Centre for Gambling (ODJ) was created in 2011 (decree of 9 March 2011). Effective 1 July 2020, pursuant to decree no. 2020-494 of 28 April 2020, pertaining to the terms of provision of the gambling offer and gambling data, the OFDT took over the duties of the ODJ pertaining to carrying out scientific studies on gambling and addictions to these games (Art.3 of law of 12 May 2010, as amended by the order no. 2019-1015 of 2 October 2019, reforming gambling regulation). In this context, the OFDT contributes to documenting the action and public policies of its members (Mildeca, ministers of Health, Interior, Agriculture, Budget, Sports), but also those of the ANJ.