French Q2 gambling revenues stagnate
Strong growth in sports betting GGR fails to offset continued slowdown of horserace betting and online poker
Revenues from France’s online gambling market flatlined in Q2 2015 as continued strong growth in sports betting failed to offset declines in both horseracing and poker.
According to figures released by l’Autorité de regulation des jeux en ligne (ARJEL), total gross gaming revenue (GGR) were 180.5m (£126.9m) in Q2 2014 compared to 180.3m (£126.3m) in the three months ended 30 June 2015.
The regulator’s report showed that online sportsbooks maintained their positive momentum during the quarter, with revenues increasing 7% year-on-year to 63m (£44.1m) as the number of weekly active players increased 5% to 187,000.
But France’s online poker market showed no sign of a turnaround during after the vertical recorded a 3% year-on-year decline in GGR, down from 57.5m (£40.2m) to 56.3m (£39.4m).
The decline in revenues came despite a 15% uptick in tournament stakes, with cash game stakes falling 10% year-on-year from 1bn (£700m) to 938m (£656.3m).
Revenue from horse race betting also declined slightly compared to the corresponding period in 2014, falling 3% year-on-year from 64m (£44.8m) to 61m (£42.7m).
The results were enough to keep the market marginally ahead when compared to the first six months of 2014 with the regulator having previously posted a 3% increase in revenues for Q1 2015.
The new market figures come after ARJEL issued a new batch of licences to operators including Unibet, bwin.party and Betclic Everest Group in May, extending the companies’ operating licences to 2020.
The French online gambling market’s long-term viability has come under increasing scrutiny in recent months and in last month the trade body Association Francaise de Jeu en Ligne (AFJEL) called for a review of the country’s legislative framework to happen “as quickly as possible” in order to improve conditions in the heavily taxed market.