History of gambling in France

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1) Intro: Why the game's French history is special

France is one of the few European countries where gambling was both a court fashion and an object of severe restrictions. For centuries, the authorities have either encouraged or banned the game, trying to direct it in the direction of forms "useful" for the state: from lotteries and fees for public needs to taxation of resort casinos. As a result, a unique ecosystem has developed: lotteries, horse racing bets, resort casinos and capital clubs, and in the 21st century, the controlled online sector.

2) Early origins (Middle Ages - XVII century)

City holidays and fairs knew simple chance games: dice, cards, lottery draws.

The royal power periodically introduced decrees against "excesses," but the court environment retained card and salon entertainment.

By the 17th century, card culture was gaining grace: etiquette, bets "for honor" and for the wallet, early "banking" games.

3) The era of salons and enlightenment (XVII-XVIII centuries)

Salons and private houses of the nobility become centers of card novelties; the game is an element of secular brilliance and a reason for intrigue.

In parallel, the state comprehends lotteries as a tool for replenishing the treasury and financing projects (from charity to public works).

Legal policy oscillates between prohibitions and "regulated tolerance": the government seeks to keep non-prohibited formats under its control.

4) XIX century: resorts, railways and the birth of the "French casino"

With the development of resorts and railways, a new model appears: casinos in balneological and coastal cities. This is not only roulette and cards, but also theater, balls, concerts - the "house of light" for vacationers.

Icons of the genre: Deauville, Biarritz, Vichy, Engien-les-Bains (suburb of Paris). The casino format is associated with the culture of leisure, fashion, gastronomy and architecture of Belle Époque.

Horse racing and sweepstakes are becoming fashionable top-light sports; around the racetracks, press and club life are formed.

💡 Important: Monte Carlo is a symbol of European glamour, but it's the Principality of Monaco, not France. French casino heritage - primarily resort cities within the country.

5) The beginning of the 20th century: the institutionalization of lotteries and betting

In the interwar period, a national lottery emerges as a state instrument for financing "socially useful goals"; the lottery tradition is undergoing modernization.

For betting on races, the parimutuel model is fixed and a centralized sweepstakes operator (PMU) is created - control of rules, distribution of pools and commissions.

Casinos remain geographically limited: predominantly resorts and tourist areas, where the game is woven into the cultural program.

6) Post-war decades: from "shop windows" to mass leisure

The lottery is undergoing rebranding and technological updates (circulation games, scratch cards, then digital platforms).

The PMU reinforces France's "leapfrog" identity: betting is part of the Sunday leisure, newspaper strip and television airwaves.

Casinos adapt to the television era: more shows, gastronomy, events, gradually - electronic machines.

7) End of XX - beginning of XXI century: Paris and the "club" model

For a long time in Paris there was a ban on full-fledged casinos; private gambling clubs with a board game section (without the classic "slot floor") were available in the capital.

In the 21st century, the "club" model is being updated: a bet on controlled access, responsible communications and a cultural image, while the suburban casino Engien-les-Bains actually closes the "Parisian" demand.

8) Online era and single regulator

In the 2010s, a regulated online segment for sports and horse betting, poker opens; casino content remains more tightly limited and is introduced in stages in strictly controlled formats.

By 2020, a unified supervisory architecture is being formed: the national regulator is responsible for licensing, advertising control, player protection, reporting and sanctions.

The state's vector is balance: innovation + protection. Self-control tools, age verification, advertising restrictions are fixed online.

9) Culture and literature: from Balzac to Degas

Literature (Balzac, Zola, Maupassant) has repeatedly played up the motives of risk, duty, fortune - excitement as a metaphor for social elevator and fall.

Painting (Degas, playpens and hippodromes) and the press created the visual canon of French wagering.

Cinema of the 20th century consolidated the casino archetype as scenes of style, tact and psychology - from criminal dramas to romantic plots.

10) Economics: lotteries, betting and resort clusters

The lottery channel consistently finances useful programs and sports for the "society."

Horse racing and PMUs support breeding horse breeding, rural areas, racetrack calendar and media.

Resort casinos are an important part of the tourism economy: employment, gastronomy, festivals, conferences, cultural agenda.

11) Responsible play: the evolution of norms

France is one of the pioneers of the integration of self-monitoring tools: deposit/time limits, reality checks, self-exclusion and complaint mechanisms.

Advertising is subject to strict standards: age barriers, caution in tone, warnings about risks.

Online operators are required to report and interact with the regulator, as well as finance preventive programs.

12) Chronological overview (condensed)

Middle Ages-XVII centuries. - urban fun, salon games, wave-like prohibitions.

XVIII century. - lotteries and "regulated tolerance."

XIX century. - resort casinos, hippodromes, "art of leisure."

The beginning of the XX century. - consolidation of lotteries, formalization of the sweepstakes at the races.

The second half of the XX century. - Lotto massing, PMU strengthening, "club" model for Paris.

2010s - 2020s - online regulation, unified supervision, strengthening Responsible Gambling.

13) France in a European context

Unlike countries with early full liberalization, France followed a model of "controlled selectivity": casinos in resort areas; Paris - through clubs; online - step by step, with a focus on betting and poker.

At the same time, French design and culture turned casinos and racetracks into "third places" - spaces of style, gastronomy and art.

14) Looking ahead (until 2030) - what will remain and what will change

It will remain: the leading role of lotteries, the status of horse racing as a cultural symbol, resort casinos as anchors of tourism.

Will change: depth of digital services, flash payments, personalization and risk analytics; advertising - even more careful and targeted; the sustainability (ESG) and player welfare agenda will expand.

Editorial blocks (for inserting facts and dates)

Table A - Key Milestones (Template)

Period	Event	Comment
XVII-XVIII centuries.	Salon games and lotteries	Balance of fashion and control
XIX century.	Resort casinos	Belle Époque, architecture
Start. XX century.	Lottery/wagering centralization	Formal Pool Model
Second half XX century	Lotto, PMU, clubs in Paris	Massivization of leisure
2010s-2020s	Regulated online, unified oversight	Responsible Default Game

Table B - Formats and their role

Format	Role	Where ingrained
Lotteries	"Good causes," mass channel	The whole country
Betting on horse racing	Sports, rural areas	Racecourses/PMU
Resort casinos	Tourism, culture	Deauville, Vichy, Biarritz, Engien et al.
Paris clubs	The gaming tradition of the capital	Selective access

Table C - Responsible Play Tools (for reference)

Tool	What does it give
Deposit/time limits	Self-monitoring and planning
Reality check	Reminder of session duration
Self-exception	Voluntary access blocking
Complaint procedures	Dispute resolution path
Age verification	Protection of minors

TL; DR

The history of gambling in France is a swing between fashion and regulatory control. From salons and lotteries of the Enlightenment to Belle Époque casinos and racetracks, from metropolitan clubs to online betting under a single supervision, the French model combines leisure aesthetics with strict consumer protection. This duality defines the French "school of play": style, culture and responsibility.