Despite the intense international interest in France’s online gaming market liberalisation, the latest research from the country shows that just 2% of French participate in online gaming, with no gaming brand enjoying more than 56% brand awareness amongst online gamblers.

The research was conducted by Taylor Nelson Sofres amongst a national sample of 4,377 people over the age of fifteen between August and October 2009.

According to the research, 48% of French citizens participate in some form of gambling with that number reducing to 4% for those who play online, the most popular games amongst all French gamblers being lotteries at 72% and scratchcards at 69%. Horseracing bets were the third most poplar with 14% of gamblers, followed by casino gaming at 13%, Lotto Foot and Cote & Match at 5%, online gaming at 4% and Cote & Score at 1%. A further 2% reported participating in other forms of gambling.

Three out of four French people said that they distrusted online gaming with only 19% stating that they had trust in online gaming sites, falling to just 3% for those who have complete trust. The lack of trust may however also be due to perceptions of gambling, as the level of trust in online gaming rises to 24% amongst those familiar with traditional (offline) games.

The research also sought to establish whether confidence in online gaming would increase if it were offered directly by a known local or national newspaper.

Less than 1 in 10 (14%) French people said they would have greater trust in online gaming if offered by the press, with 1 in 3 (30%) stating they would trust the offering even less.

As far as brand awareness is concerned, PMU was the most known online gambling provider with 47% of French people knowing the name of the website, followed by FDJ amongst just 22%. Of the private operators, Betclic and bwin were the best known providers amongst 10% and 9% of the population respectively, followed by Unibet (5%), 888sport (3%) and Sportingbet (2%).

Asked what level of spending they would commit to online gaming, 68% of all gamblers said they would spend nothing online with 19% willing to spend between €1 and €10 per month, 7% willing to spend between €10 and €20 per month and 4% willing to spend between €20 and €50 per month. Less than 2% of all gamblers said would be willing to spend more than €50 a month online.

The full findings of the research are available for download here. (French)