Casinos de France calls for fight against illegal operators to intensify
French casino association Casinos de France has said it welcomes the opening of investigations into the providers of resources, particularly payment providers, digital platforms, and software publishers, who knowingly facilitate the activity of illegal online casinos.
The association said: “These revelations—such as those involving Worldline—confirm what our union has long denounced: a parallel system that thrives in the shadows, outside any legal and fiscal framework, with disregard for regulation and player protection. While land-based gaming establishments in France are governed by strict oversight and unwavering accountability, some foreign operators—often located in tax havens—rely on intermediaries to circumvent the law and capture market share in complete illegality. Service providers who collaborate, directly or indirectly, in these practices must be punished commensurate with the damage inflicted on our business model.”
It said that these actions threaten not only the economic stability of the industry, but also public health and local finances. In France, the 203 land-based casinos and seven gaming clubs in Paris pay €1.6bn in tax and social security revenue each year, a significant portion of which goes directly to municipal budgets.
The association added: “For many tourist resorts, the casino is the largest local employer and a pillar of cultural, artistic, and social activities. Conversely, illegal online gambling is out of control. It fosters addiction—particularly among young people—and exposes minors to content that is strictly prohibited for them in physical establishments. At a time when one in three online gamblers in France is a minor, the need for a firm response is no longer debated.”
Casinos de France is calling on public authorities to mobilise to make the fight against illegal online gambling a priority with increased resources for regulators, effective sanctions against complicit platforms, constant vigilance regarding new technological circumvention tools, and unwavering commitment.
Grégory Rabuel, President of Casinos de France and CEO of Groupe Barrière, said that preserving the French model of gambling regulation means defending the general interest, the health of citizens, and territorial cohesion.
“There can be no double standards in the world of gambling: regulated players who assume their responsibilities, while others circumvent the rules with complete impunity. This situation is no longer acceptable. Resource providers must understand that they play a central role in the disastrous decline of illegal gambling,” Mr Rabuel added. “This destabilization of an entire industry requires a firm response from public authorities to protect our minors and our public finances, and thus preserve our French model of gaming regulation.”
