Online horse racing betting in France rose substantially last year, suggesting a potential ‘renaissance’ of the sport, according to BtoBet.

As part of the Aspire Global brand’s ‘Horse Racing Betting Focus’, it pointed to the latest yearly data available for France, as reported by l’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ).

Total stakes on horse racing betting in France reached nearly €1.5 billion (up 31%), while gross gaming revenue (GGR) for the sport was up 33% to €354 million – a figure which BtoBet described as a ‘new benchmark’ for the country’s horse racing betting market.

The supplier’s horse racing solution includes data racecards, silks, form, tipping, live shows and results for meetings across the world, including for France through state operator Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU).

It said: “Gone are the days of horse racing as a niche offering for a small segment of players, with operators treating the sector as a separate channel.

“The industry’s rapid evolution in terms of available content offering, aided by the rapid growth and migration towards the online channels has resulted in operators and bookmakers alike eyeing horse racing as a new revenue stream.”

The overall number of online horse racing punters in France increased to 638,000 in 2020 from 599,000 in 2019 – a growth rate of 5% from 29,000 new customers.

ANJ data did acknowledge a 15% loss in turnover over the retail network, but BtoBet said that the rapid growth and migration towards the online channels – not just in France – has resulted in operators and bookmakers alike “eyeing horse racing as a new revenue stream”.

The report added: “As the online sports betting industry continues to be characterised by an ever-evolving landscape focusing on delivering an optimal betting experience to their players, horse race betting operators, platform suppliers and data providers seek to position themselves to leverage today’s players’ thirst for a more diverse content offering.

“Every gambling market is unique, as anyone in the global industry knows. Anyone looking to bring horse racing products to the forefront must strike a balance between what works elsewhere and how local players will respond to new channels.”

The latest report follows BtoBet’s ‘European Sportsbook Opportunities in an Increasingly Complex Scenario’ study, examining the potential of different markets across Europe based on recent regulatory developments, in particular for the UK, Germany and the Netherlands.

To read the complete Horse Racing Betting Focus report, click HERE.