- Online poker reached a five year high in quarterly online poker revenue.
- It now outstrips revenue from horce racing by the widest margin on record.
- The migration from cash games to tournaments continues unabated.
In Q1 2018, online poker in France grew for the fourth consecutive quarter, up 8.3% year-over-year and representing the highest quarter in five years.
The migration of players from cash games over to tournaments continued in Q1. In fact, it was a particularly pronounced swing, with tournaments now accounting for 65% of poker revenue, up from 62% in Q4 2017. Cash game revenue dipped 2% year-over-year reversing a recent trend of slight growth; tournaments continued to enjoy their upswing with the biggest quarter of growth in three years, up almost 15%.
Thanks to poker’s strong performance, it has regained its position as the second largest igaming sector in the regulated market. At €69 million for poker, it now has a clear lead over the €65 million in revenue generated from horse race betting, the widest margin on record.
Sports betting still owns the largest share of revenue for operators by far representing over half the market at €147 million for the quarter.
Online gambling revenue in France across all verticals reached €281 million, growth of 28% and the second highest on record.
