A study by the French Observatory of Drugs and Addictive Tendencies (OFDT) reveals a record year for gambling in France in 2023. The market has recorded unprecedented growth.
The French Observatory for Drugs and Addictive Tendencies (OFDT) recently unveiled a study highlighting recent developments in the French gambling market.
The study looks at various types of gambling: lottery, sports betting, horse racing and poker.
After years marked by the health crisis, 2023 confirmed the positive trend begun in 2022 (an increase of 450 million euros on 2021), with a 3.5% increase in gross gaming revenue (i.e., the share of revenues before deductions), reaching a record 13.4 billion euros (vs. 12.9 billion euros in 2022).
According to the study, almost half of all French people tried their luck at gambling last year. While all types of gambling saw an increase, it was online poker that stood out, with an impressive 14% rise to 504 million euros. Table games in casinos also took off, with growth of 11.5%.
Next came sports betting, which accounted for around a third of this growth. More than two-thirds of sports bets (68.7%) were placed online in 2023, a figure stable compared to 2022. Parisian casinos and gaming clubs also contributed to this increase, with a rise of 218 million euros.
The French gambling market continues to grow, driven by the rapid expansion of Internet gambling, notably with online casinos, and increased use of traditional casinos.
As a reminder, the ANJ (Autorité Nationale des Jeux) warns gamblers against the risks of addiction, specifying the procedures for recognizing a gambling addiction:
- Seeking to win back money: after a loss, the player immediately plays again to try to win back the money lost. This type of gambling is dangerous, since it is no longer considered.
- Isolation: carried away by their gambling, gamblers isolate themselves from their loved ones and become locked into their gambling. This isolation can lead to real problems, both personal and professional.
- Borrowing money: in order to continue gambling, a gambler who is short of financial resources will borrow money, putting him or her in a delicate financial situation.
- Constantly thinking about gambling: the gambler can't think of anything else but gambling. He's constantly in the mood to gamble, and feels bad when he has to stop.
- Not being able to stop playing: the player can't stop playing, and if he has to, he becomes irritable. He feels a real lack.
- Feeling stress or anxiety when thinking about the game: the game no longer gives the player pleasure. He's stressed by the results and his losses, but can't bring himself to stop playing.
- Thinking that your expertise can make you a sure-fire winner: you're sure of yourself and your chances of winning. He's sure of his statistics, his knowledge of sports or horse racing, or overestimates his luck. But gambling is always a matter of chance, and no win can be guaranteed.
- Violent behavior towards professional athletes that could be likened to harassment: the gambler is so carried away by the loss of his winnings that he may lose his temper and place all the blame on professionals (athletes, trainers, teams, etc.).
If you recognize yourself in these descriptions, or if you recognize one of your loved ones, it's important to take action to begin treatment.
