(AsiaGameHub) – A fresh competitor is set to enter the French betting market just in time for the 2025 FIFA World Cup.
France.- UK-headquartered Bet365 is set to expand into the French gambling market after securing approval from the Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) to run online sports betting operations. The operator, which has also been growing its footprint in the US and other European markets, submitted its licence application in January via its subsidiary Hillside (New Media Malta).
The timing of the approval means the new service will launch in the highly competitive French online betting market right ahead of the high-priority FIFA World Cup window. Bet365 will be the first major new international operator to enter the market in many years, a space currently dominated by Betclic, Winamax, FDJ United through Unibet and horse racing betting specialist PMU, which recently rolled out its PMU Play app to offer sports betting products to its racing-focused customer base.
France is a mature, strictly regulated market where online casino gaming still lacks formal regulation, and existing operators have been navigating the challenge of the French gambling tax increase that came into force in July 2025. Against this tough operating context, Bet365’s scale gives it the flexibility to absorb early losses as it works to carve out its own market share, mirroring the strategy it has used in Australia and the US.
It is anticipated that Bet365’s entry into the French market could trigger an increase in marketing activity across all local operators. Bet365 already has strong global brand recognition thanks to its UEFA Champions League sponsorship, which runs through 2027. It will now be allowed to advertise directly under its official brand name during UCL matches held at French stadiums, replacing the “Follow Scores” branding it used previously. The ANJ has already issued a warning to all operators to refrain from excessive advertising during the World Cup.
Bet365 reported revenue of £4bn for the 12-month period ending March 2025, a 9 per cent increase compared to the prior year. Sports betting revenue rose by 5 per cent, while online casino revenue grew by 25 per cent over the same period. Profits dropped 41 per cent to £349m, a decline driven by costs linked to its ongoing expansion push.
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