If the world of online casinos appeals to you but you’re unclear about the rules and laws that govern this space, this article aims to help you clear up all doubts. You’ll discover which gambling activities are allowed, which are prohibited, how to find a legal online casino in France, and the pros and cons of these platforms.
Before we dive into the details, here are the top platforms that permit online casino gaming.
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The above list of the best online casinos brings together the platforms currently offering the best gaming conditions. However, be cautious of some new online casinos like Infernos, which are all the buzz but are not available in France. Likewise, Tower Casino is not available in Austria.
Are online casinos illegal in France? What the law says
Yes, online casinos are strictly banned in France under Law No. 2010-476 of May 12, 2010, concerning opening up competition and regulating online gambling and betting.
This measure was taken as part of the fight against gambling addiction, but also to combat fraud and money laundering and to protect players’ sensitive information, which can be vulnerable to hacks on malicious sites.
If some platforms are allowed, notably by the ANJ (National Gaming Authority) that regulates the sector, it’s only because they adhere to legal gambling offerings.
Crédit : DR
Which online gambling games are authorized online in France?
In France, only three types of online gambling are authorized, by the ANJ: sports betting, horse racing, and poker.
Sports betting
All sports bets are allowed on championships, competitions, or single events from dozens of official sports, provided they are operated by a bookmaker licensed by the ANJ and registered legally. Note that this excludes political bets or other cultural events sometimes offered by bookmakers outside the ARJEL framework, such as kassabet.
Horse racing bets
Horse racing bets are also legal if the operator offering them holds an authorization. The most famous one in France is PMU, which runs numerous horse events. This authorization helps guarantee that races are not rigged.
Poker
Poker is the only table game legally allowed online in France. The law bans many games of chance, including many card or dice games, but poker requires thought and strategy, which allows it to be offered legally despite the element of luck in each hand.
Which online casino games are not authorized in France?
Conversely, there is a list of games strictly forbidden on a legal online casino in France, and they fall predominantly into the gambling category. This also includes unregulated or unverified casinos.
Slot machines and slots
Slot machines of every kind are prohibited in France. Whether traditional, 3- or 5-reel, Megaways, 3D, etc., they pose a high risk of addiction due to their very random outcomes and constant visual and audible stimuli.
Roulette and other table games
Roulette is the quintessential game of chance, as nothing governs the movement of the ball or its final destination. It’s therefore banned on online casinos. The same goes for table games like blackjack, craps, baccarat, or sic bo, among others, where chance remains the sole decider of the result, and thus of potential winnings or losses.
Live casino
Under the Live Casino banner lie live streaming software that lets players connect to game tables mimicking the atmosphere of land-based casinos. Real dealers deal and manage the games live, in real time. Players can join solo or with others, offering a highly immersive experience. Since these are still table games, this type of service is not allowed on a legally regulated French online casino.
Crédit : DR
Why doesn’t France allow online casinos?
Although French law is seen as quite strict toward online casinos compared with some other countries, the aim is to protect citizens from the risks that online gambling can bring.
Addiction risks
Gambling can lead to compulsive behaviors when the lure of winning or the urge to recoup losses becomes overpowering. With an online casino, available 24/7, traditional barriers—such as time constraints, employee supervision, or spending limits tied to cash or chips—can disappear, leaving little to stop players from overindulging. In short, addiction can easily become a reality.
Tax fraud concerns
Unregulated online casinos are convenient for malicious individuals or groups looking to launder money. To curb tax evasion, the French government chose to block these platforms, as proper oversight is difficult to enforce.
Protecting players and land-based casinos
A fraudulent online casino can steal from its users in various ways: theft of personal and financial data, identity theft, rigged software, nonpayment of winnings, opaque withdrawal terms, shady payout methods, or exploitable bugs that wipe out big wins. By banning them, France aims to protect online players by steering them toward legitimate, licensed casinos.
There’s also a rationale to protect brick-and-mortar casinos in France, which would face unfair competition if online slots and other games they can legally offer were available online.
How to recognize a legal online casino in France?
To determine whether an online casino is legal in France, rely on these indicators:
- The ANJ logo, clickable, at the bottom of the page, paired with the license number. You can also refer to the ANJ’s official list on its site to identify regulated gambling sites.
- The terms and conditions, especially the rules for obtaining winnings, bonus usage, and withdrawal policies.
- Players’ reviews, which can be very helpful for judging a casino. Look on specialized casino platforms or rating sites.
- The Responsible Gaming policy, which should mention associated risks, offer limit systems (time, deposit, and bet limits), and an option for temporary or permanent self-exclusion.
- Reliable and recognized payment methods (Visa/MasterCard networks, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller, Apple Pay, Google Pay, etc.).
By verifying these points and staying vigilant, you’ll be able to identify a trustworthy and legal online casino in France.
Will online casinos ever become legal?
In 2024, an amendment aimed at paving the way for authorizing online casinos in France during 2025 was withdrawn, under pressure from several industry players. On one side, land-based casinos warned about the potential blow to their business, including the possible loss of more than 15,000 jobs in the first year; on the other, addiction-prevention groups underscored how gambling can be addictive.
The then Budget Minister, Laurent Saint-Martin, said the measure deserved deeper consideration to avoid disadvantaging anyone. For the state, legalizing casinos could bring up to 1 billion euros in tax revenue, so the question wasn’t dropped entirely from the table.
In 2025, the Senate was even urged to bring this issue back to the center of discussions, as illegal online gambling offerings continued to grow and with them, scams and addiction affecting millions of French people. Nothing moved in 2026, and unless a presidential candidate takes up the issue in 2027, changes were unlikely soon. Yet, given the financial upside such legalization could offer to refill state coffers, it seems timely to decide.
What is an ANJ-unlicensed online casino?
An ANJ-unlicensed online casino is an offshore platform operating from abroad, often in jurisdictions with a looser stance toward online gambling. These sites may offer games not authorized in France and, as a result, they cannot obtain ANJ authorization, though that doesn’t automatically make them unreliable—just not France-authorized due to offering games that are typically only accessible in land-based casinos within France.
Offshore licenses
Offshore licenses are issued by various jurisdictions: Malta, the Philippines, Curaçao, the Comoros, among others. They allow an online casino to offer gambling services without complying with local regulatory regimes. The licenses most commonly seen on such offshore sites include PAGCOR, Anjouan, Curaçao, Malta Gaming, Tobique, Antigua and Barbuda, or Kahnawake.
Games available on offshore casinos
Unlike a legally licensed French online casino, an offshore platform may offer, in addition to the usual sports betting, poker, and possible horse racing, games considered prohibited in France. You’ll find a wide range of slot machines, all kinds of table games, live casino, and often mini-games like crash games with rapid payouts and multipliers.
What are the risks of playing on an unlicensed site?
Online casinos not authorized by the ANJ pose obvious security risks in addition to gambling risks. The main concerns include:
- Possibility of hacking: theft of personal and financial data
- Risk of non-payment, with balance freezes, claimed delays, document verification hold-ups, unpaid bonuses, etc.
- Deposits not received
- Cheated games: rigged results, bugs, low fair play (RTP)
- Lax or non-existent responsible gaming controls, increasing addiction risk
It’s important to understand that in the event of a proven scam on an unlicensed online casino, a player has no recourse under French law, because these platforms do not fall under French/European jurisdiction. It will be difficult to trace the source of the scam, claim rights, or recover money lost in a fraudulent offshore operation.
What are the advantages of playing at an overseas online casino?
If some players seek offshore casinos, it’s because these platforms offer features you don’t typically find elsewhere, thanks to the flexibility of their licenses. Here’s what to know.
A broader game catalog
These foreign online casinos often offer catalogs with thousands of titles. Slots, mini-games (crash, slingo, arcade, bingo, keno, plinko, etc.), Live Casino, and more—the variety comes from a range of specialized providers. This diversity allows players to explore new forms of online gambling.
More generous bonuses
The ANJ recommends capping bonus amounts for players. Offshore casinos typically don’t impose these limits, so welcome bonuses and other promotions (deposit bonuses, free spins, cashback, etc.) can be especially generous. Sometimes, right at signup, a player can receive several thousand euros extra in their pot, depending on their deposit and the wagering requirements tied to the offer.
VIP programs for loyal players
Offshore casinos frequently offer attractive loyalty programs. The more you play, the more perks you receive to enhance your experience. These can include personalized bonuses, cashback, a dedicated account manager, free spins, or free bets. Enrollment is automatic—the playing regularly earns you loyalty points and level progression.
How to access a foreign online casino?
Since they’re not authorized in France, most foreign-based online casinos are blocked. The ANJ conducts regular operations to identify and restrict access to these platforms, which means it’s hard to reach them from France, though not impossible. A player who understands the risks can still gamble on an offshore site using a VPN.
The VPN for geolocation restrictions
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) can simulate a connection from another country. After selecting a target country, your IP address is altered, and the site welcomes you as if you resided in that country. In this way, you can access foreign online casinos, as well as other georestricted content in France (YouTube videos, Netflix catalogs, etc.), with just a few clicks while remaining anonymous. You simply need to know where those offshore casinos operate legally and then proceed.
How to find the best reliable online casino?
To be sure you’re playing at a trustworthy online casino, you must check several points. First, verify that it holds a recognized license, because that is the sine qua non for ensuring it has passed the necessary checks to offer its services. Next, make sure the game providers are reputable, that game fairness is respected, that the site offers varied and reliable payment methods, and that it has a Responsible Gaming section that meets expectations.
Also review the terms and conditions and the bonus and withdrawal rules to spot any potential red flags, and don’t hesitate to test the quality of customer support, which can reveal the seriousness of a casino.
It’s always wise to search online for reviews and user experiences about a platform to get a real sense of what it offers before signing up.
Could a player face a fine for playing at a foreign online casino?
No, a French player does not risk a fine or prosecution if they decide to play at an offshore online casino. French law, with the support of the ANJ, targets blocking platforms rather than fining individual players. So you can choose to play on offshore sites, bearing in mind the associated risks.
FAQ
When will online casinos be allowed?
While the government has revisited the issue several times, discussions are currently at a standstill, with no ready solution satisfying all parties. Therefore, a quick legalization of online casinos cannot be expected.
Can you legally play on a foreign casino from France?
Even though online casinos are banned in France, it is possible to access them by bypassing geographic restrictions and gamble without facing criminal penalties, but be aware that there are risks of fraud or scams.
I’m addicted to online gambling: how can I get help?
If you or someone you know is dealing with gambling addiction, seek help promptly. There are associations such as joueurs-infos-service.fr or sosjoueurs.org that offer free helplines or online chat to talk and find the best solution. Don’t hesitate to talk to loved ones if you find it hard to reach out on your own.
What is the only legal online casino site in France?
The only legal online casino sites in France are the ones on ANJ’s list. These are gambling sites offering only sports betting, poker, and horse races. Examples include Winamax, Betclic, PMU Play, Unibet, Bwin, or PokerStars.
