Sports betting saves the French online market

The situation for French online poker may be dire (see previous reports) but the nation’s online sports betting vertical – boosted by the World Cup football in Brazil – delivered strong results in the second quarter 2014, with regulator ARJEL reporting:

* Wagers up 44 percent y-o-y at Euro 286 million;

* Gross profit up 64 percent at Euro 59 million;

* Substantial World Cup football action which drove football wagers up 76 percent y-o-y.

* Wagering on basketball, rugby and volleyball up 30 percent, 14 percent and 75 percent respectively;

* H1-2014 wagers up 34 percent to Euro 540 million;

* For the first time since legalisation, online sports betting was higher than pari-mutuel racing, which delivered Euro 255 million in wagers, 7 percent down on a quarterly y-o-y basis;

* Outstanding results from World Cup live betting which came in at Euro 109 million – up 26 percent on the 2010 soccer spectacular and providing gross profits of Euro 31.2 million.

* Française des jeux, recorded a 30 percent improvement on World Cup wagers since 2010 through retail and online subsidiaries, with over 45 percent of its action coming though mobile devices. Betclic reported a similar breakthrough, with 53 percent of its wagers made through mobile channels, 25 percent on live bets;

* PMU said the World Cup had generated an extra Euro 1.2 million in wagers for it, and new punter sign-ups totalling 60,000;