Source: ANJ (France)
France’s ANJ published a PwC study on illegal online gambling in the country on 4 December 2023. The study estimates that illegal operators generated between €748m and €1.5bn in gross gaming revenue, equivalent to 5% to 11% of the overall gambling market.
The estimate gives regulators and licensed operators a measure of the scale of illegal online gambling in France.
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Sports betting technology supplier Altenar appointed Steven Craven as chief financial officer, the company announced. Craven will oversee its financial operations and strategy as it develops its international markets. Altenar said he previously worked at PwC, Strix and PokerStars/Flutter.
Altenar has appointed Steven Craven as chief financial officer, the sports betting technology supplier announced. Craven will oversee the company's financial operations and strategy, aligning financial planning with its long-term business objectives in international markets.
A PwC report commissioned by the Betting and Gaming Council warned that higher UK gambling taxes could prompt gambling businesses domiciled in the country to leave. PwC said jurisdictions taxing online gambling GGR above 25% generally collected about 9% in tax, compared with about 13% where rates were below 25%; the report was published ahead of the 26 November Budget.
The Betting and Gaming Council said a PwC study it commissioned found different levels of unlicensed betting across European markets. It reported that unlicensed activity accounted for 57% of bets in France, 35% in Sweden, 37% in the Netherlands and 5% of UK online betting and gaming, up from 3.3% in 2021; the study also compared tax receipts from 2019 to 2024.
France’s ANJ launched a public information campaign on 7 October 2024 about the risks of unauthorised online casinos. The regulator cited a 2023 study estimating that 3 million to 4 million people in France had used illegal gambling sites, and said 79% of the illegal market’s revenue came from players with problematic gambling practices.
The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) warned the UK government that stricter rules for licensed gambling could push players towards illegal operators, according to the report. Citing a PwC report, the BGC said about 200,000 people in Britain visited illegal gambling sites around 27 million times in 2018 and 2019, while those operators accounted for about 2.5% of online gambling and received £1.4bn in stakes.