Say adieu to anything but the very best French betting sites. This guide covers it all, from legal bits to the practical stuff. Even if you need a VPN or are diving into crypto betting for the first time, we’ve got everything you need to make the process of finding and making the most of the best French bookmakers smoother than a glass of Pinot noir.
- 1 Top Bookmaker We Recommend for Betting in France
- 2 Is Online Betting Legal in France?
- 3 How to Bet Online in France
- 4 Popular Payment Methods for French Bookmakers
- 5 Sports Betting in France Explained
- 6 Casino Betting Sites in France
- 7 How To Choose a Betting Site in France
- 8 Live Betting in France
- 9 Other Country Betting Guides — Click Each Flag To Learn More
- 10 ThePuntersPage Final Say
- 11 France Betting Resources
- 12 Best French Betting Sites FAQs
Top Bookmaker We Recommend for Betting in France
100% Bonus + 18+ New Users Only: This bonus is available exclusively to new users who have not previously made a deposit on the BCGAME-BCALLMAIN-MIRROR2.COM platform. Users must complete the registration and verification process, including a valid email and/or phone number, to qualify for the bonus. The bonus is automatically credited to the user's account upon making a qualifying deposit and selecting the Sports Bonus option. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
120% up to €600 Sport Welcome Bonus 18+ Make your first deposit and get a 120% Bonus up to 600€/$. The minimum deposit required to qualify for the bonus is 20€/$/ or equivalent in other currencies. Welcome Sportsbook Bonus applies only for Sports Betting and E-Sports. You can only benefit from this bonus ONCE and ONLY on your first deposit. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
100% up to 1 BTC First Deposit Sports Bonus 18+ The First deposit is only available to new players who made their FIRST deposit. Only one 100% Welcome Sport Bonus is allowed per customer. The minimum deposit required to get the bonus is 20 USDT or equivalent in another cryptocurrency. The maximum bonus that can be awarded in this promotion is 1 BTC or equivalent in another cryptocurrency. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
Sports Welcome Bonus 18+ Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
100% No Risk Sports Welcome Bonus 18+ Get 100% of the first bet amount back if the bet is lost. Minimum Stake to qualify for this promotion is $20. The maximum Bonus amount is $100. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
100% up to €2,500 18+ Claim the first part of our Welcome Offer and get 100% up to €2,500 right now for the deposit amount of your choice. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
$2,500 Welcome Package 18+ New users only. Bonus is activated upon first deposit of any amount. Up to $2500 in rewards, drawn from Rakeback and Daily Cash Drops based on betting activity. Rakeback: 10% of house edge returned on each bet, credited as 30% to the account and 70% added to rewards calendar in 6 equal instalments (48 hours apart). Unclaimed rewards expire in 24 hours. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
Welcome Pack up to 200,000 USDT 18+ Four deposit bonuses made up of the following. Deposit Bonus: Extra funds added to your bonus balance, along with potential no-wagering Free Spins, when you make a deposit. Cashback: A refund of 20% of your net losses, credited to your main balance, along with potential no-wagering Free Spins. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
150% Bonus up to €500 + 50 Free Spins 18+ Bonus will be granted to deposits ranging from 20 £/€/$ to 500 £/€/$. Deposits between 500 £ /€/$ and 1000 £/€/$ will be awarded a 100% bonus. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
Risk-Free First Sports Bet 18+ Choose a sports match with odds no less than 1.60 and place your bet. If you win, you get to keep your earnings. If you lose, you will immediately receive your stake back as a free bet. The free bet is non-withdrawable and can go up to 100 USDT, equivalent to any of the following currencies: ETH, BTC, EUR, JPY, KRW, AUD, BRL, CAD, LTC, or Dogecoin. Place the free bet you received within 48 hours. If your free bet wins, you keep all your earnings. Full T&Cs apply. Bet Responsibly. GambleAware.org #ad |
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Why Vave Gets My Vote
Ben Gibson: The ultra user-friendly Vave would be my top pick. I wanted to make sure the recommendations for best French betting sites were accessible to as many people as possible, no matter what restrictions you might face, so every option on this list is crypto-friendly. Considering that, I’d want a site that ticks all the boxes: superb sportsbook selection, top promos, great customer service, and an easy way to buy and bet with crypto. Vave delivers all that and then some.
Is Online Betting Legal in France?
Online betting has been legal in France since May 12th, 2010, when the French government introduced the French Gambling Act, following pressure from the EU. This law legalised sports betting, horse racing betting and online poker.
These markets are regulated by the Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), which replaced the L'Autorité de Régulation des Jeux En Ligne (ARGEL) in June 2020. However, most online casino games, betting exchanges and spread betting websites are still banned.
Betting on sports and horse racing is tax-free, but the additional 2% tax on poker does mean that players typically face a rate of 6-8%. Online betting operators also incur a 25% corporation tax. There are fewer than 30 licensed sports betting sites, while opting for unlicensed ones can be risky.
Laws for Online Betting In France
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Betting sites must have a licence from ANJ to operate in France.
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Only sports betting (including horse racing) and poker are allowed online.
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Ads must only target adults and promote responsible gambling.
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Bettors must be at least 18 years old.
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Players don’t pay tax on winnings, but operators are taxed on profits.
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Operators are required to implement measures for responsible gambling, including self-exclusion options.
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Betting sites must follow GDPR to protect user data.
Betting Limits in France
There aren’t any set betting limits from the Autorité Nationale des Jeux, so it’s up to the bookmakers to decide the limits for deposits, withdrawals and bets. You’ll generally find higher limits on sports that attract more bets. In other words, the more people betting, the higher the limits. Plus, all sites must let you set your own limits to keep things responsible.
How to Bet Online in France
Let’s keep it simple. There are loads of top-drawer French betting sites, with plenty to keep even the pickiest of sports fans happy.
Wondering how to bet in France? It’s as simple as a stroll through Montmartre! Here’s everything you need to know, using the superb Vave as our example:
Using a VPN To Bet in France
If you're getting geo-blocked and can't access betting sites in France, don’t worry. Just sign up for a quality VPN – NordVPN, ExpressVPN and Surfshark are a few popular, trusted options – and set your location to France. This will make the website think you're a native user and help bypass those blocks. Neat, right?
You’ll also need to make sure you’re using a VPN-friendly betting site, so the bookie doesn’t catch on and kick you out. Plus, cryptocurrencies might be necessary if there are no practical traditional payment options available to you. The good news is that our recommended French online betting sites are not only crypto-friendly but are also designed with newcomers in mind for a stress-free experience.
Betting Markets in France
There are no sports betting markets banned in France, so you can legally wager on any odds a sportsbook offers. Of course, some events might have less markets than others, but that’s related to competition popularity, betting volume and trading capacity.
Popular Payment Methods for French Bookmakers
Before you dive in and sign up, make sure they’ve got a payment method that suits your style – no one wants to be faffing about with complicated fees and long wait times. Luckily, most decent French betting sites have a broad selection of easy-to-use payment options. Here’s the lowdown on what you can expect from the best ones:
Cryptocurrencies
For many, cryptocurrencies will be the only way to access the best betting sites France has to offer. It’s not just geo-blocking that can cause issues, but also the inability to deposit due to ineligible payment methods. Cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, Litecoin, or Binance Coin provide a solution, bypassing these hurdles and offering a secure, convenient way to fund your account from anywhere in the world. Keep in mind though: crypto transaction times and fees vary by coin and site. Some clear in minutes, others can take several hours. Fees are usually low but not zero, so always check before confirming.
Debit Cards
Good old Visa and Mastercard, the trusty workhorses of online payments. Quick, simple, and direct. Deposits are usually instant and free, though watch out for withdrawal or conversion fees. Withdrawals are usually sorted within three days.
Bank Transfer
If you’re after a more old-school approach, bank transfers will do the job. It’s reliable, but you might find yourself waiting up to five working days for your funds to appear. Also, some banks or international transfers can throw in a cheeky fee, so keep an eye out.
Prepaid Cards
For those who prefer to keep things anonymous, prepaid cards like Paysafecard are a top pick. You can grab one at the shops or online and use it with a secure 16-digit PIN for hassle-free payments.
Sports Betting in France Explained
Online betting isn’t just big in France, it’s absolutely flying, with no sign of slowing down.
In 2023, France’s gross gaming revenue hit a hefty €13.4 billion, up 3.5% from the year before, according to the National Gaming Authority (ANJ). Sports betting was the real star of the show, climbing 6.4% to rake in €1.477 billion. And here’s the twist, this happened despite a 4% drop in active bettors, meaning those still having a flutter were digging even deeper into their pockets.
/ And the momentum’s only building. In the first half of 2024 alone, online sports betting shot up 24%, with major sporting events doing plenty of the heavy lifting. Hardly a shock, France’s run to the Euro 2024 semis before being sent packing by eventual winners Spain certainly got punters fired up. The final figures for 2024 and beyond aren’t in yet, but with so many brilliant bookies to choose from and a nation that lives and breathes everything from Ligue 1 to the French Open, Le Mans, and the Tour de France, we’d bet good money on the market only going one way: up.
Make the Most of French Markets with Proper Footy Stats
Finding the right French bookie is all well and good, but if you really want to get ahead of the game, you’ll need more than just decent odds. That’s where our Ligue 1 stats come in, packed with all the key numbers to help you make smarter punts on France’s topflight. Do your homework, sharpen your strategy, and give yourself the best shot at winning.