At-Risk Players Made Up 9% of French Online Gambling Users but Generated 60% of GGR

France’s gambling regulator, ANJ, said a small group of players showing risky behaviour accounts for the majority of gross gaming revenue (GGR*) generated by online operators.

Based on its monitoring of betting activity and player accounts, about 600,000 players were identified as at risk in the second half of 2025. The group includes users whose activity appeared excessive and may indicate a risk of developing gambling addiction.

They represented just 8.7% of all account holders, but generated €1.2 billion in GGR, or 60% of the sector’s total.

ANJ said this at-risk segment is growing faster than the overall player base. Its contribution to operators’ gaming revenue has also been increasing since 2023.

The regulator also pointed to a gap between its own estimates and figures reported by gambling companies licensed in France. Operators identified 31,000 players with excessive gambling activity in 2024 and 89,000 in 2025. Despite the nearly threefold increase, ANJ said those figures remain insufficient compared with its estimate of 600,000 at-risk players.

Of the 600,000 players identified, ANJ said about 300,000 fall into the highest-risk segment.

ANJ expects operators to begin identifying such customers in the near term and to make greater use of support measures, including direct contact with players, setting limits, restricting play, referring customers to specialist organisations or closing accounts.

The regulator stressed that its system does not provide a medical diagnosis or measure the overall prevalence of gambling addiction in France. Its purpose is to assess risky behaviour in the legal online sector and evaluate how effectively operators identify such players.

* GGR is a financial metric used to measure gross gaming revenue. It is calculated as total stakes minus total winnings paid out.