Bonjour les amis. Envie d’un jeu de hasard?
Gambling is popular across Europe and virtually always has been. Forget the wines and the cheeses, the rich sauces, and beautiful women. In 2022, France is positioned to become one of the great centers of online gambling in Europe, perhaps anywhere in the world.
Today, online gaming is making members of the EU rich while it delights and entertains. And things are no different in France. Gambling has a long and fabled tradition, with legends surrounding the gambling halls of the French Riviera. It was Seventh-century Frenchman Blaise Pascal who invented the roulette wheel.
But while central to the culture, the French government has kept a tight reign on legalized gambling. For example, slot machines only became legal (and extremely popular) in 1988. Remote gambling became legal in 2010.
French law allows for three types of online betting.
- Sports betting (including pool, live, and fixed odds betting)
- Horserace betting (pool betting)
- Poker (including Omaha Poker 4, Texas Hold’em Limit, Texas Hold’em no limit, Texas Hold’em pot limit)
Online gaming sites have multiplied across the French internet, as they have all over the world. But particulars of French law mean their citizens have some unique considerations. They also have to consider the same things that other players do all over the E.U., in the U.K., and the U.S. When choosing a favored gaming site, most French players consider:
- Is the site legal, according to French laws?
- Are the fun of the game?
- What promotions are offered?
- Are the development companies reliable?
- Are the games mobile? Is the site mobile?
- What payment methods are available?
- Is customer support offered in English?
Some of the most popular games found on most French gaming sites include:
- Slots
- Baccarat
- Roulette
- Card Poker
- Blackjack
- Scratch Cards
- Craps
- Caribbean Stud Poker
- Video Poker
- Keno
- Sic Bo
- Casino Hold’em
Online gambling has increased sharply in France over the past ten years. In 2014, 24% of French sports betters played online. By 2019 that number was up to 60%. The sector grew by over 20% in 2020.
Sports betting increased in the country and continues to do so. Other than basketball, sports betting is up across the board in the country, including on such popular sports as the French Open, football, rugby, volleyball, ice hockey, and handball. Why basketball does not share the others’ popularity isn’t well-known, as American icons of the sport, like Michael Jordon, remain extremely popular there.
Poker revenue increased an amazing 54% since 2019. Ten percent of the players represented a whopping 91% of the national stakes.
As a result, many of the popular gambling sites in France include poker, in addition to the other classic and popular games of chance.
Some of the best and most popular online gambling sites among French gamers, and their notable benefits, include:
Duelz
- First deposit bonus of €/$100
- Mobile friendly
- 24/7 fast support
- Unlimited withdrawals
Locowin
- A bonus of up to $1850
- Large welcome bonuses
- Big collection of game
Poker Stars
- Largest online poker site
- 7000+ poker games
- Playable on all devices
Lucky Tiger
- Various payment methods
- 24/7 live support
- New brand
- Perfect reputation
TonyBet
- A bonus of 100% up to $180
- 120 Free Spins
Sportsbetting Casino
- Variety of software options
- High bonuses
Kings Chance
- Bonus of100% up to $2500
- 120 Free Spins
- Generous bonuses
- Seasonal tournaments
- Specialty games offered
France has long offered the world some of its finest cheeses and wines, the greatest art, amazing food. But a lot of people may not realize that it is a bastion of European gaming. From the Avenue des Champs-Élysées to the French Riviera, gambling is long a part of French culture. Online gaming is bringing that tradition into the twenty-first century and beyond. Click here to see more games and see what the French is up to.
Vive la dif·fé·rence … bon chance, mes amies!
