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Best bookmakers in France
France allows online sports betting, horse racing and poker through operators approved by the ANJ, and nothing else: no online casino, no unapproved sites, and a legal cap on how much operators may pay back to players, 85 percent on average, which makes French odds the widest in Western Europe. The market is small, safe and dominated by three brands. Here are the three that scored best in our tests with a French account.
How betting works in France
The 2010 law that opened the market created ARJEL, now the ANJ, and a short list of permitted products. Approved operators run .fr sites, verify identity with a document within days of registration, submit their promotions to a framework that limits generosity, and price under the 85 percent payout cap. Everything else is blocked by court order and the ANJ publishes the list of sites it has removed; our ANJ page explains the regime.
Winamax and Betclic, both French, hold most of the market, with Unibet, Bwin, PMU, ZEbet and a few others approved. Ligue 1 and the Champions League dominate the football menu, horse racing is priced against the PMU pools, and tennis follows. Prices on the same match are visibly worse than in Belgium or Spain, which is the cost of the cap. Winnings are not taxed for the player; operators pay levies on stakes and margin. A national self-exclusion register, managed by the Ministry of the Interior, applies at every operator.
Payments are cards, PayPal, bank transfer and Paysafecard; e-wallets such as Skrill are accepted by some. Card withdrawals took two days in our tests, PayPal one.
The three best betting sites in France
Ranked by our test score. All three are approved by the ANJ and run .fr sites.
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The three, in short
Winamax
The French market leader, born as a poker room and now the country’s biggest sportsbook, with the best app in the market, prices at the top of what the cap allows and PayPal withdrawals within a day in our test. Football and tennis coverage built for French tastes.
Betclic
The other French giant, with a fast app, Ligue 1 sponsorship, a strong live product and card withdrawals in two days in our test. Prices sit level with Winamax; promotions are frequent within the framework.
Unibet
Unibet’s French site runs under ANJ approval with the group’s product, streaming and statistics, priced under the same cap as everyone; PayPal withdrawals within a day in our test.
Other tested operators approved in France
Unibet and Bwin among our twenty-two are ANJ-approved; the rest are blocked in France.
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LicenceMGA, UKGC
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Payment methods that work in France
Cards and PayPal everywhere; PayPal is the fastest withdrawal, within a day.
VisaMastercardPayPalBank transferPaysafecardSkrill
Frequently asked questions
Is online betting legal in France?
Sports betting, horse racing and poker with ANJ-approved operators, yes; online casino is not permitted.
Why are French odds worse?
The law caps the average return to players at 85 percent.
Are winnings taxed?
No, for the player; operators pay levies.
Can foreigners open a French account?
Only residents with a French address and bank account.
Rankings on this page come from our tests with a real account opened in the country. Some links are affiliate links; sponsored boxes are labelled and never affect the order.