Gambling prevalence and practices in France in 2010

The purpose of these reports was not only to examine the economic impact of gambling, but also the public health impact, given the personal and social problems that may result from problem gambling. 

However, the scope of these problems was not quantified. In order to fill this informational gap, the public authorities commissioned the OFDT to carry out the first national gambling prevalence survey in France. 

This survey was conducted as part of the INPES (the French National Institute for Prevention and Health Education) Baromètre santé 2010 health survey. 

The objective was to gather data on the number of gamblers, both occasional and regular, and to estimate the size of the problem gambling or pathological gambling population. 

Since this estimate only pertained to the period preceding the opening up of the French online gambling market to competition (French law of 12 May 2010), it cannot be used to measure the impact of this legislation on the prevalence of problem or pathological gambling.