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ANJ: Summary of the Online gambling market in 2020: historic performance despite the health crisis
Ten years after the market was opened in 2010, the year 2020 is a turning point for online gambling, which is becoming a permanent fixture in French people’s lives. Because of the acceleration of the digitisation of gambling practices favoured by the health crisis and the arrival of new players, online sports betting, horse racing and poker have recorded historic performances. The sector’s turnover rose by 22% in 2020 to reach €1.7 billion, its highest level since the opening to competition. This performance contrasts sharply with those of casinos and gambling or betting points of sale, which have been hit hard by the health crisis.
Online sports betting: increased recruitment of new players and rising average spend
With an increase in turnover of “only” 7%, the online sports betting market remains by far the dominant activity in the online gambling sector. In 2020, stakes on sports competitions reached €5.3 billion, the highest amount of stakes generated in a year since the opening up to competition in 2010. At the same time, the population of sports bettors continues to grow, with more than one million additional players over the year compared to 2019, representing 4.4 million sports betting players.
After a second quarter in which activity was down (-56% of turnover), the situation of the sports betting market was reversed in the second half of the year with the resumption of sports competitions.
On the other hand, the sports betting segment recorded a pronounced drop in activity at points of sale. The FDJ reports a 10% drop in sports betting stakes across all channels (online and in points of sale).
Bettors’ enthusiasm was focused on major sporting events such as the Champions League in football, which recorded a 65% increase in stakes compared to 2019, or the French Open, which generated €107 million in stakes, the highest amount ever for a Grand Slam tournament.
Online horse racing betting: continued growth and record of stakes levels
Online horse racing betting grew strongly, recording a 33% increase over 2019, and totalizing €1.5 billion in stakes, which corresponds to the largest volume of bets placed online over a year. The associated gross gambling revenue grew at a rate close to the stakes (+31%) and set a new historical benchmark (€354m).
This growth is being driven by the recruitment of new players (+5% of players in 2020), which undoubtedly reflects the transfer of a certain number of players who used to bet at points of sale to online horse racing betting.
PMU, whose point-of-sale games generally account for almost 90% of its domestic results, has reported a 15% loss of turnover in this channel.
Online poker: a windfall effect of lockdowns that seems to last
Online poker turnover for this year leapt by to €446 million (+64% on 2019), which is a new record-breaking activity erasing the previous benchmark of 2011, the first full year of the market opening.
The lockdowns measures (and more particularly those relating to the first lockdown) have indeed led to a renewed interest in poker. Online poker benefits from the significant recruitment of new players in 2020, which it intends to capitalise on, through loyalty actions, in order to maintain a high level of activity for the coming year. However, this attractiveness does not seem to have been accompanied by an uncontrolled increase in excessive gambling insofar as the average expenditure per player increased by “only” 7% in 2020.
Synthesis of 2020 activity data
|
Q4 2019
|
Q4 2020
|
Variation
|
2019
|
2020
|
Variation
|
Sports betting
|
||||||
Actives player accounts
|
1 917 000
|
2 402 000
|
+ 25%
|
3 443 000
|
4 478 000
|
+ 30%
|
Bets
|
1 500 m€
|
2 004 m€
|
+ 34%
|
5 056 m€
|
5 352 m€
|
+ 6%
|
Gross Gambling Revenue
|
230 m€
|
356 m€
|
+ 55%
|
880 m€
|
940 m€
|
+ 7%
|
Horse racing betting
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Actives player accounts
|
333 000
|
388 000
|
+ 16%
|
599 000
|
628 000
|
+ 5%
|
Bets
|
294 m€
|
448 m€
|
+ 53%
|
1 106 m€
|
1 473 m€
|
+ 33%
|
Gross Gambling Revenue
|
72 m€
|
105 m€
|
+ 47%
|
271 m€
|
354 m€
|
+ 31%
|
Poker
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Actives player accounts
|
709 000
|
991 000
|
+ 40%
|
1 199 000
|
1 840 000
|
+ 53%
|
Gross Gambling Revenue
|
76 m€
|
117 m€
|
+ 54%
|
272 m€
|
446 m€
|
+ 64%
|
TOTAL
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Actives player accounts
|
2 436 000
|
3 037 000
|
+ 25%
|
4 174 000
|
4 891 000
|
+ 17%
|
Gross Gambling Revenue
|
377 m€
|
578 m€
|
+ 53%
|
1 423 m€
|
1 740 m€
|
+ 22%
|
10 years after the opening up to competition, what has been achieved?
Ten years after the opening up of the online gambling market to competition, the sector of activity, driven by a dynamic and continuous growth, now represents around 17% of the total market turnover, compared to 7% in 2011. In total, the number of players has more than doubled between 2011 and 2020 while the Gross Gambling Revenue has almost tripled over the period, propelled by sports betting (+717%), the growth of poker (+42%) and horse betting (+46%).
The year 2020 seems to represent a turning point for the online gambling sector, which is no longer marginal and is driven by a rapid dynamic.
For Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin, Chairwoman of the ANJ: “The good health of the online gambling sector, due in particular to the massive arrival of new players in sports betting and poker, means that operators must step up their initiatives to prevent problem gambling and protect minors. In line with the new obligations that came into force in 2020, they must better identify and assist at-risk players, provide tools for moderating play time or betting and ensure responsible promotional strategies. More than ever, and with major sporting events approaching before the summer, promoting recreational gambling must be a priority shared by all. “
Methodological reminder
This quarterly report was compiled on the basis of data transmitted by licensed online gambling and betting operators on a weekly or quarterly basis. The ANJ’s communications take into account statistical confidentiality. It may not publish information relating to the activity of the monopoly markets (FDJ and PMU) other than that already disclosed by the operators under exclusive rights.
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Topic: ROnline Casino : Why Trust is the Real Currency in Online Casino Reviews

1. In an industry often driven by affiliate commissions, how do you personally define “trust”? Why do you believe it holds more long-term value than short-term revenue gains?
The best way to build trust with your audience is through a customer-centric approach. That means prioritizing accurate and honest reviews, rather than focusing purely on commercial interests. When visitors find the information, they’re looking for, you build customer loyalty. In the long run, loyalty creates far more value than quick gains from promoting questionable casino brands with flat fees and hybrid deals.
2. Given the financial incentives at play, how do you ensure your reviews remain truly objective and transparent?
Our casino reviews are always factually correct and honest, regardless of the commissions we are receiving. Our review criteria are available on our website, and our scoring system remains consistent, unaffected by affiliate partnerships. We clearly disclose that we use affiliate links but we always side with our visitors. That kind of transparency might not maximize revenue, but it builds trust and forges strong relationships with our players.
3. Have you ever had to reject or cut ties with a high-paying casino partner over ethical concerns? Can you walk us through one such decision?
Yes, that happens from time to time. We have a contact form on our website that allows players to contact us when they feel they are being treated unfairly. We received several complaints from players and escalated these to our partner. Upon doing some research we realized that other casino portals were reporting similar problems with this operator, which led to us updating our reviews and dropping them in our rankings.-
4. What are the key red flags you look for when evaluating whether or not to recommend a casino operator to your audience?
We always make sure that the casino operators we are listing are properly licensed and have a good reputation in the iGaming industry. Red flags are unfair bonus terms, missing translations, withdrawal issues, unprofessional customer support, and a lack of responsible gambling tools. If a casino operator has lots of unresolved complaints on Trustpilot or Casinomeister, we simply don’t promote them.
5. From your experience, how do players pick up on bias or manipulation in reviews — and what can platforms do to avoid giving that impression?
Players are much smarter today and exchange information on forums and in their circles. They are often seasoned and have played at online casinos for many years. They can spot inaccurate reviews right away and know exactly what they are looking for in a casino. Our reviews therefore always focus on the pros and cons, the bonus conditions and real expert experiences from hands-on testing of the casino.
6. Many affiliate sites claim to be “independent,” but not all deliver on that promise. What practical steps can review platforms take to actually earn user trust?
Be customer-centric and focus on user intent. Players visit your site to find out which casinos are reliable and trustworthy. Make sure your reviews are up to date and unbiased. Avoid promoting shady operators that could damage your reputation with your audience. To earn trust, you need to publish honest recommendations based on facts rather than sales pitches.
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We have a contact form on our site for player complaints, and we also make use of external sources such as forums and watchdog sites like Casinomeister, Trustpilot and Casino Guru. If we notice patterns related to specific casino groups or licenses, we incorporate a warning in our reviews as well. Player feedback is one of the most valuable tools we have to ensure our reviews are honest and reflect real user experiences.
8. Do licensing authorities and regulatory frameworks factor into your trust scores — or is your assessment more focused on real user experience?
Both matter, but reputation is most important. If a casino is not properly licensed, we will either choose not to list it or highlight the risks associated with an unlicensed casino in terms of player protection and payouts. However, we do list some casinos that operate under a weaker license when we know from previous experience that they are overall reliable and trustworthy.
9. With the rise of AI-generated content and fake reviews, how can affiliate sites protect their authenticity and credibility at scale?
All our reviews are produced in-house by real casino experts who have been working in the iGaming industry for many years. We test casinos ourselves and focus on detailed reviews based on real-life experiences and industry knowledge. While we use AI for
mundane tasks like spell-checking, we believe AI-generated reviews ultimately represent fake experiences and do not reflect the unbiased expert opinions and recommendations that players deserve.
10. Looking to the future, do you see reputation becoming a key differentiator among affiliates? If so, how will users — and partners — measure that reputation?
As the market matures, users are choosing review sites based on their interests, honesty, and reputation. These signals are picked up by Google and will directly impact your rankings. Users will look at how sites respond to user complaints, how accurate their reviews are, and whether they truly advocate for casino players. The affiliates that focus on credibility will be the preferred choice for players who are searching for real reviews from industry experts.
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USDT Casino Launches Industry-First ‘Sunday Brunch Free Spins’ with Zero Wagering Requirements

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UK Gambling Commission Flags Deepfake-Fueled Money Laundering Threats in Online Gambling Sector

The UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) has issued a warning about the growing threat of money laundering facilitated by artificial intelligence technologies, including deepfakes, and the rising use of crash games. As part of its regulatory mandate, the UKGC requires licensed operators to stay ahead of evolving cybersecurity risks or risk incurring fines and even losing their licenses. With AI-powered deception on the rise, the Commission urges tighter security protocols across all operator systems.
The need to tighten security
Artificial intelligence has become more sophisticated, and some users are taking advantage of this to bypass due diligence checks. Players registering on mobile casino platforms are typically required to provide identity documents as part of KYC procedures under AML regulations. However, deepfake technology is now being used to bypass these verifications.
Criminals now use artificial intelligence to create deepfake videos, false documentation, and face swap images to facilitate money laundering. This is why the UK Gambling Commission has stated that all operators in the UK must work fast to retrain employees in assessing customer documents.
In addition to AI threats, the UKGC continues to classify cryptocurrency as a high-risk channel for laundering illicit funds. Operators are reminded that all crypto transactions must be treated with enhanced due diligence, given their anonymity and growing association with financial crime.
The Commission also raised concerns over the rising popularity of crash games typically found on both licensed and unlicensed crypto casino platforms. Their short duration and rapid cash-out mechanics make it difficult for platforms to detect suspicious patterns, creating opportunities for high-risk laundering behavior to go unnoticed.
All operators were advised to implement appropriate procedures to identify suspicious patterns during the crash games. The UKGC shared an update that revealed that remote and non-remote casinos were providing unlicensed money service business facilities to third parties. These businesses included foreign currency exchange, with some customers attempting to deposit large denominations, such as 500-pound bills.
The Body considered such transactions a money laundering risk. It also noted that some individuals have been offered money to use their personal details to open multiple gambling accounts for criminals. This has been a source of concern for the commission as these accounts are being paid for without the third parties, knowing that they act as unlicensed betting intermediaries.
So far, two operators have been penalized for anti-money laundering and customer care failures. The erring operators were ordered to pay 375,000 pounds for AML breaches, while the bookmaker was fined 686,070 pounds.
The UKGC also warns operators to avoid supply partners connected to illegal sites. This came from the observation that games developed by operators with software licenses were ending up on unlicensed websites. The UKGC warns that operators connected to black market supply chains may face direct penalties even if indirectly involved. As such, due diligence on third-party content providers is now not just advisable, but essential. These developments underscore a broader industry challenge: maintaining regulatory compliance amid fast-evolving digital threats.
The post UK Gambling Commission Flags Deepfake-Fueled Money Laundering Threats in Online Gambling Sector appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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