Political discourse around the framework of online gambling in France could be set to escalate after two individuals were arrested in connection with a €1bn online gaming operation.
The European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (Eurojust) confirmed that authorities were alerted to the crime ring after victims reported difficulties withdrawing their winnings.
Although the sites largely targeted French citizens, some of its site managers were based in Cyprus, meaning cross-border collaboration was required from authorities in France, Belgium, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Lithuania and Malta.
According to Eurojust, investigations revealed that the illegal sites generated a turnover of €1bn over the past five years. In addition, between 2022 and 2025, fund transfers of over €100m were discovered.
The two men appeared in front of an investigative judge in France last week and have been charged with organising prohibited gambling, operating as part of an organised gang, illegally offering online gaming and money laundering.
Currently, only online sports betting, poker and lotteries are legal in France, while casino games are only available at land-based venues.
Given France’s position as the last major Western European country to not have legalised iCasino, the market remains open to exploitation from the black market.
In the past year, backing from sections of the industry to legalise the sector has grown. However, any efforts have been thwarted by continuing political uncertainty in France.
In September, François Bayrou lost a no-confidence vote, which triggered his departure and the appointment of Sébastien Lecornu, France’s fifth Prime Minister in the last two years.
However, Lecornu has since survived two votes of no confidence, which sought to bring down his minority government.
While political disruption has stalled debate around online casino legislation, this significant bust may help to place the matter front-and-centre in the minds of politicians.
Looming black market threat
Elsewhere, the arrests will also act as a stark warning to lawmakers as the debate surrounding taxation transcends European markets.
In the UK, operators are rallying against the threat of a tax hike as Chancellor Rachel Reeves told the media that the industry must “pay its fair share”.
“Piling on yet more taxes won’t raise more money,” warned Entain’s CEO, Stella David, speaking to The Observer. “It will shrink the regulated market, cost jobs, and hand yet more business to illegal operators who pay no tax and protect no one.”
Industry leaders have also pointed to the impact of tax changes in the Netherlands. According to David, black market control of the country’s industry has risen to over 50% since its tax rate rose to above 30%.
Already this year, notable arrests have been made across Europe related to organised illegal gaming activity, including in the UK, the Netherlands, Russia and Turkey.
