French gaming authority L’Autorité de régulation des jeux en ligne (ARJEL) has released its full year 2018 results which despite delivering overall growth – led by a 54 percent increase in sports betting stakes – described the market as “fragile” due to lacklustre results in the poker and horse race betting sectors.
Key performance indicators for the full year 2018 include:
Total revenue for 2018 increased 25 percent year-on-year (YoY) to reach Euro 1.2 billion.
Total stakes reached Euro 11.4 billion, up 24 percent YoY and led by sports betting with stakes amounting to Euro 691 million.
Revenues from both poker cash games and tournament rake; as well as horse race betting increased 5 percent to reach Euro 258 million, and Euro 256 million respectively.
Around 2.7 million online players gambled last year, up 40 percent YoY.
Average spend per player declined Euro 52 million in 2018 to reach Euro 452 million (2017: Euro 504 million) – the dip is attributed to an increase in lower-spending customers as a backdraft from the FIFA World Cup campaign.
ARJEL confirmed discussions are currently ongoing in the French legislature on reforming the gaming industry’s existing turnover-based tax rate to a revenue-based rate bringing the market in line with other European jurisdictions.