ARJEL Q3 Figures: French Betting Increases, as Do Female Punters
Published November 12, 2016 by Lee R
The vibrant French market still strives for stability.
French regulator ARJEL’s Q3 figures have been released, revealing sportsbook revenue leading the charge, new interest from the fairer gender and online poker in need of assistance.
Online Betting Revenue
Online sportsbook revenues are way up, having generated a total of €448 million during the third quarter of the year for a full 50% year-on-year jump spurred by the UEFA European Championship and the Rio 2016 Olympics taking place within the quarter.
Q2 2016’s Glow
Reported turnover was still down from the record-setting Q2 total of €585 million. The year’s second three months brought a massive 73% year-on-year jump over Q2 2015 due to the spike in betting activity leading up to the UEFA Euro Championship taking place in France from June 10 to July 10.
Punter Trends
The general number of active sports bettors climbed 45% to 239k in Q3. The most notable increase was female punters, who account for 9% of French online sports activity. ARJEL figures showed new female betting accounts rising 85% in Q3, doubling the 43% rate of growth for male punters.
Most Popular Sports
Football betting activity per usual accounted for the most Q3 stakes placed, at 58%. Tennis was second with a 27% share.
Online Poker Hole
Less fortunately, the online poker take continues to sag, with Q3 online poker revenues dropping 3% year-on-year to €54 million. The revenue take from online tournaments of €31.2 million during the third quarter of the year was up only slightly from the €31 million for Q3 2015, with the total number of active players down 5% to 211,000.
Remaining Challenges
The online poker challenge is a tough nut to crack in France, where Q1 was the only quarter of growth reported in France since ARJEL market regulation began in 2010. Challenges to growth thus far include tough regulations, taxes, and additional rakes on cash games, and lack of domestic popularity.
Next Attempt at Resolution
Current hope lies with the French government’s passage of amendments to the county’s Digital Law, which will enable ARJEL to share liquidity other EU member states, increasing jackpot and winnings levels.
