The gambling scene in France

9th European Conference

on Gambling Studies

and Policy Issues

9-12 September 2014, Hilton Kalastajatorppa Helsinki,

Finland

Stéphanie Liénard

Psychologue clinicienne

This presentation aims to describe briefly :

- the organization of gambling in the country

- the legislative framework and the place of

regulation bodies

-Problem gambling and The protection of

gamblers

- The treatment from the health care system

Introduction

Gambling industry

Market shares

before 2010

(GGR) for historic

gambling

operators

3 Juin 2012

Pari Mutuel Urbain ; 26,70%

Casinos; 28,50%

Française des Jeux ;

44,80%

Gambling industry

What has been changed by law since 2010

4 Juin 2012

Les

opérateurs :

- On-line legal gambling : horse-race betting, sport betting and

poker

- Official authorisation by ARJEL (Autorité de régulation des

Jeux en Ligne)

The actors :

- FDJ (public firm)

- PMU (private firm under government control)

- websites (included FDJ et PMU on-line activity) private firms

under government control

- casinos (private firms under government control)

- gambling clubs (associations)

Gambling industry

5 Juin 2012

Les

opérateurs :

FDJ

Lottery, scratch tickets, sport bet on-

line and off-line

6 Juin 2012

FDJ

A FDJ retail shop … « bistrot » or « café »

7 Juin 2012

FDJ

8 Juin 2012

ddd

FDJ

10 Juin 2012

FDJ

Casinos

• 194 land-based casinos

• 4 groups own 60% of french casinos

• Leader in Europe (37 % of european continent casinos

are french)

Casinos

12 Juin 2012

Casinos

• In 2013, Gross Gaming Revenus = 2,178 billions €

• An on-going falling down : -22,5% since 6 years

• Response = more gambling facilities (new games)

• A real concern = french casinos employ 15 000 people

directly and give employment to 35 000 people indirectly

Casinos

Casinos

Enghien les Bains

Casinos

Lyon

Casinos

Aix Les Bains

Casinos

Deauville

Casinos

Lille

Casinos

Saint Amand Les Eaux

PMU • Horse race bet on line and off line

• Sport bet on line and poker on line

• Horse race bet : In retail shops (12 200) and race-tracks

(250)

• Sport bets = football and tennis

• GGR = 2,5 billions € (total business of PMU)

• Land-based activity remains stable and internet activity is a

growing market 21 Juin 2012

PMU

22 Juin 2012

PMU

23 Juin 2012

Horse race track :

Hippodrome d’Auteuil

PMU

24 Juin 2012

A specialised retail shop

PMU

25 Juin 2012

Internet gambling

• 34 gambling operators in 2011, now 19

• Decreasing evolution of GGR : – 1,8 %

Sport betting + 19 %

Horse race betting + 0,4 %

Poker – 13 %

26

27 Juin 2012

Gambling results

The gamblers

28 Juin 2012

• A french gambler spends on average

2 000 € / year (400 € net expenditure)

• In 2012, gamblers spent 46,2 billions €

• 1 gambler in 4 gambles each week

• Regular gamblers are rather male, 47

years old on average

The gamblers

29 Juin 2012

Weigth of gambling expenditures in

the french people consumption

• 1907 : law about casinos in thermal baths, seaside and

climate places

• 1919 : no casino allowed in a 100 km area around Paris

• 1987 : slots machines are allowed in casinos

• 1988 : casinos can settle down in cities > 500 000

inhabitants

• 2010 : law for the opening gambling market on internet

Legal framework

Central Control

• the ministry of interior controls casinos and

gambling clubs

• The ministry of finance controls FDJ, PMU and

casinos

• The ministry of agriculture controls PMU

• ARJEL controls on-line gambling

Problem gambling

Prevalence 2010

• 1,3 % of problem gamblers among the french

population over 18 years old

• 6,6 % for on-line gambling

32 Juin 2012

33 Juin 2012

Gamblers protection

• Gambling is forbidden for minors

• Informal Self exclusion or limitations from casino,

gambling club and websites

• Legal exclusion from casino, gambling clubs and

websites : minimum 3 years, delivered by a police

officer

• On internet, you can use moderators (limitation of

stakes, temporary closure of your accompt … )

Juin 2012

Gamblers protection

• Training casino employees is compulsory

• Information for gamblers are often given by the

gambling operator on a volontary basis

• the compulsory information is the national help line

number :

Treatment for PG

ddd

• A very few supports groups (Gamblers Anonymous)

• 250 Addiction Treatment Centers offer a free treatment

• A specialised association in Paris : SOS Joueurs)