French iGaming regulator Autorité de Régulation des Jeux en Ligne has released their Q1, 2015 numbers, and a boost in online sports betting has resulted in a 3% increase in year-on-year gross gaming revenue.
Finally, some good news for iGaming proponents in France, as French iGaming regulator Autorité de Regulation des Jeux en Ligne (ARJEL) released Q1, 2015 numbers, showing a 3% increase in year-on-year gross gaming revenue climbing to €190m.
Gold stars were awarded to the French sports betting division. Participation increased 27% year-on-year with 202,000 accounts as opposed to 159,000. Stakes of €351m were recorded in the first quarter, a 38% rise on the €254m earned a year ago. Gross profits were up 17% to €63m, from €54m this time last year.
Football continues to dominate the sports bettors’ interest with 58% of all bets coming in that sport. Paris St Germain made the quarterfinals of the Champions League before getting their booty kicked by Barcelona 5-1 on aggregate, and one assumes that run had an impact. Tennis (18%) and basketball (13%) are the other two major sports of interest for French punters.
It’s felt that the additional sports bettors have come from a lack of interest in online poker. Gross gaming revenue for online poker fell 7% to €61m. Once again it was the heavily taxed cash games that let the side down with a 15% slide year-on-year (falling €179m to €1.02b). This was partly offset by an increase in tournament participation. Fees in this genre rose 5% to €426m, with 59% of the activity focused on the Sit n Go games, of which the likes of Spin & Go, Expresso and Twister lottery style games sit.
One wonders how much of a difference a high profile name like Zlatan Ibrahimovic would make to the online poker numbers. The Paris St Germain, and Swedish striker, was a rumored recent target for PokerStars France. PokerNews reported that the ‘I am Zlatan’ author turned down a reported a €3-4m per year deal to represent the PokerStars France brand as a member of Team SportStars.
