Popular brands: Winamax, Betclic, PMU, PokerStars fr

The French online market is simple: sports betting, horse racing betting, online poker and lotteries are allowed; online casino games (slots, roulette, blackjack) are prohibited. Compliance with the rules is monitored by ANJ (Autorité Nationale des Jeux), it also tightly controls advertising and player protection. Four recognizable brands stand out in this field: Winamax, Betclic, PMU and PokerStars. fr.

Winamax

Profile. French brand "sport + poker" with strong recognition and own series of tournaments. The site emphasizes that Winamax operates under a French license (ANJ).

Product and chips.

Sports betting with a wide live line and a neat promo part (within French restrictions).

Online poker: regular series and satellites, a guide to the mass audience.

Communication - "in its own language," close to a young digital audience.

For whom. Players who care about "sport + poker" under one account and an understandable mobile experience.

Betclic

Profile. One of the leaders in the sports betting market; headquarters and a large team in Bordeaux. The brand traditionally dominates sports, operates under the supervision of ANJ and publicly engages in discussion about advertising rules and tax burden.

Product and chips.

Strong mobile rate: fast live, neat stream features within the permissions.

Collaborations with sports and clubs, but under increasing restrictions on sponsorship and "whistle-to-whistle" advertising, which are promoted by the regulator.

For whom. Fans with an emphasis on football/tennis and frequent live betting.

PMU

Profile. The historical operator of the betting mutuel for horse racing (offline and online), modernizes the product and retail network, while simultaneously developing sports betting.

Product and chips.

Horse racing - core: pools, tote mechanics, thematic markets and analytics.

Sports betting and poker are additional areas, but DNA remains "turf."

A strong offline ecosystem of PMU bars as a cultural phenomenon that is being updated for a young audience.

For whom. Lovers of horse racing and the traditional pari-mutuel format; players appreciating the offline community around the product.

PokerStars. fr

Profile. French subsidiary of the global brand PokerStars (Flutter group) with a local ANJ license; online poker and branded promotional programs (such as Power Path) are available in the country. In a number of countries, PokerStars also has sports; in France, the Sports section is also presented under a French license.

Product and chips.

Wide cache and MTT grid, sit-and-go, spin-formats; Power Path "ladders" and satellites.

Cross-ecosystem with league events and international series through a local showcase. fr.

Strong responsible play tools and player support within ANJ requirements.

For whom. Tournament and cash players who care about grid depth and a "global" brand feel in local banding.

Regulation and trends affecting brands

Strengthening advertising rules. ANJ promotes a tougher regime (up to "whistle-to-whistle" bans and sponsorship restrictions), which sets the tone for the communications of all operators.

Market growth under fiscal pressure. In 2024-2025, GGR and activity grew, but the industry simultaneously talks about the costs of raising taxes and the risk of "leakage" into illegal goods.

The structure of the verticals is stable. Sport is a driver of online growth; jumps stagnate/realign; poker is volatile serially; Lotto at FDJ is growing.

Practice for player (short)

Check the ANJ license with the brand and the vertical: sports, poker, horse racing - yes; there are no online casino games.

Look at RG tools: deposit/time limits, self-exclusion, age control - a mandatory norm for all four.

Compare by product: Winamax - "sport + poker" with local vibe; Betclic - top sport and mobile depth; PMU - horse racing and offline culture; PokerStars. fr is a rich MTT/cache grid and global formats.

Winamax, Betclic, PMU и PokerStars. fr - four core brands of legal online France. With different DNA and audiences, they are united by one thing: work under ANJ licenses, strict advertising and an emphasis on responsibility. As a result, the market remains compact and predictable, and the choice for the player is a matter of taste: "sport hub," "turf culture," "poker universe" or a hybrid of "sport + poker."