For the third time, following surveys conducted in 2010 and 2014, the 2019 Santé publique France Barometer included a section dedicated to gambling practices among the French population. Conducted among a sample of approximately 10,000 individuals over the age of 18, this survey estimates the prevalence of these activities by describing gamblers’ profiles, reports on trends, and addresses the issue of problem gambling.

An issue of the publication Tendances¹ from the French Monitoring Center for Drugs and Drug Addiction (OFDT) presents the full set of results, while a report from the Gaming Monitoring Center (ODJ)^² focuses specifically on the most problematic practices. These publications are set against a new backdrop, as effective July 1, 2020, pursuant to Decree No. 2020-494 of April 28, 2020, regarding the terms and conditions for making gaming offerings and gaming data available, the ODJ’s responsibilities in this area have been transferred to the OFDT.

Prevalence and Player Profiles

In 2019, nearly one in two people aged 18 to 75 (47.2%) reported having played a JAH in the past year. Slightly fewer women than men reported having done so (44.2% vs. 50.4%). Compared to the 2014 survey, the proportion of French adults aged 18–75 reporting participation in JAH has generally decreased, as it had previously reached 57.2%.

Compared to non-players, JAH participation is more common among men aged 25 to 54 who are employed. Players have a slightly lower level of education than non-players but a higher income.

A majority of players gamble only occasionally. Among those who gambled during the year, only 28.6% do so at least once a week. Daily gambling is rare (1.2% of players) and is found primarily among sports bettors and poker players.

Rise of Sports Betting and Online Gambling

Lottery games (draws or scratch-offs) are by far the most popular activities: they account for 65.0% and 56.9% of players, respectively, and 78.5% of them play exclusively these types of games. These are followed, in descending order, by sports betting (11.0%), slot machines (9.7%), horse racing betting (7.7%), casino games (5.9%), and poker (2.9%). Other activities—which are very much in the minority (skill-based games, betting on e-sports competitions, and financial betting)—account for less than 1.4% of players.
All forms of gambling saw declines compared to 2014, with the notable exception of sports betting, which increased by 60%, from 6.6% to 11.0%. This increase went hand in hand with a shift in gaming platforms: while traditional FDJ and PMU retail outlets and casinos remain largely dominant, online gaming accounted for 16.1% of all players in 2019, compared to 7.3% in 2014. When it comes to sports betting, the internet is now the dominant platform, with online betting for this activity rising from 26.1% to 61.0%.

A high concentration of spending

A majority of gamblers spend only modest amounts on gambling: the median reported expenditure is 72 euros per year. One in ten gamblers spends more than 1,000 euros per year. The concentration of spending is extremely pronounced: 82.8% of total spending is concentrated among 10% of gamblers, and nearly half (49.0%) among 1% of them. Horse racing, sports betting, and poker account for the largest expenditures (excluding speculative financial betting). For sports betting, the volume of bets placed has increased 2.8-fold compared to 2014, and online betting has increased 4.6-fold.

Increased Problem Gambling

Some gamblers may be struggling with their gambling habits, and in order to better mitigate the social and health harms these activities can cause and to ensure that the prosperity of this economic sector does not come at the expense of public health, an assessment of the affected gamblers is essential. Using an internationally recognized screening tool, the Canadian Problem Gambling Index (CPGI), we can estimate the proportions of moderate-risk gamblers and problem gamblers (who together form the group of gamblers with problematic gambling behavior). Between 2014 and 2019, the prevalence of moderate-risk gambling practices rose from 3.8% to 4.4%, and there was a significant increase in excessive gambling: 1.6% of gamblers compared to 0.8% in 2014. In total, 6% of gamblers engage in problematic gambling. Relative to the general population, these figures equate to 1 million individuals—moderate-risk gamblers—and 370,000 excessive gamblers. These gamblers alone generate nearly 40% of the revenue from various gambling activities.

These excessive or moderate-risk gamblers are predominantly men, younger than their counterparts, from lower socioeconomic backgrounds, with lower levels of education and income than other gamblers. Less active in the workforce than the overall gambling population and less likely to be retired, they are more frequently unemployed.

The prevalence of problem gambling varies by type of game. Lottery games have the lowest rate of problem gambling at the individual level, but given their widespread popularity among a large population, they account for a significant portion of the resulting harm. Sports betting poses the greatest risk at the individual level: the proportion of players at moderate risk is three times higher than for lottery games, and the proportion of excessive gamblers is six times higher. In 2019, one in ten gamblers engaged in sports betting, yet up to a quarter of problematic gambling behaviors can be attributed to it. The analysis conducted shows that low educational attainment and income, participation in sports and horse racing betting, slot machines, other casino games, as well as engaging in multiple forms of gambling are significant risk factors for problem gambling.