Gaming halls in Paris are becoming a permanent fixture in the city after a French senate vote approved a legal amendment to a pilot program that began in 2017 with a view to granting them permanent status.
Marie-Pierre de La Gontrie, Colombe Brossel, and Rémi Féraud, members of the Socialist, Ecological, and Republican group tabled the motion, praising the “legal and regulated alternative to clandestine gambling dens, while guaranteeing the transparency, traceability and integrity of financial transactions.”
Beginning in 2017, the program was designed by the government to monitor the effect of a regulated space for card games such as poker. Casino games like roulette and blackjack are forbidden at these gaming halls. The positive results have encouraged several stays of execution for the scheme. It was originally meant to close down at the end of 2024.
The bill will now pass through to the National Assembly to approve the amendment for next year’s budget. France is facing political turmoil, with President Macron’s weakened majority fuelling legislative deadlock, protests, and rising support for the political fringes, leaving the government struggling to pass reforms and maintain public confidence. It remains to be seen whether the amendment will get through.
End to years of instability for the sector in Paris
French senators hope the move will bring to an end years of uncertainty for gaming halls, which have largely proven a huge success in the city of love.
In the amendment, the senators said: “This measure will provide a clear and lasting framework for a model that has fully proven its worth from both a public order and economic regulation standpoint. The gaming club pilot programme has indeed demonstrated its effectiveness by offering a legal and regulated alternative to clandestine gambling dens, while guaranteeing the transparency, traceability and integrity of financial transactions.
“It has made gambling safer in Paris within a framework strictly controlled by administrative authorities, thus contributing to the fight against money laundering and fraud.”
Amélie de Montchalin, Minister for Public Accounts in France, also stressed the importance of combating the threat of criminal activity that co-exists in gambling spaces. She said in an interview: “I believe it is in our interest to have well-known operators. We know that money laundering is also a risk, and maintaining this established framework is perhaps the best way to do so.”
Economic impact attracts politicians
In its approval decision, the senate also highlighted the revenue stream from these gaming halls, with annual receipts of approximately €120 million, €50 million of which is included in contributions to the state and the city of Paris.
The senate added: “By consolidating a stable and sustainable legal framework, the continuation of gaming clubs will help preserve the legal security of operators, support Parisian economic activity and reinforce the capital’s position as a benchmark for responsible and regulated gaming.”
It may also aid employment prospects in the city. At the start of 2025, it was reported by the French Confederation of Professional and Managerial Staff that more than 1,500 employees at gaming halls across Paris were on partial employment contracts, with comparatively small benefits. In casinos across France, it is estimated some 50,000 people are employed.
Move hailed by influential casino group
The trade association representing the country’s land-based casino industry, Casinos de France, was delighted with the decision.
Reacting to the news, it said in a statement: “This long-awaited step forward finally provides a clear legal framework, giving visibility to a model that has largely proven its worth. Parisian gaming clubs have demonstrated their effectiveness.
“They constitute a legal, regulated, and transparent alternative to the former gambling clubs, applying demanding standards in terms of oversight, integrity, prevention of excessive gambling and the fight against money laundering. We hope this progress will be fully confirmed in the final version of the draft budget law and reaffirms its commitment to working alongside public authorities to ensure a legal, responsible gaming sector that serves the public interest.”
Poker a popular sport in France
The sport continues to grow at great pace in the country. National data underscores poker’s reach, with approximately 1.2 million in the country reported to have played online poker last year, according to one study. That mix of robust online activity plus a thriving live-club scene makes Paris a focal point for French poker culture.
Senators argue the model offers a transparent alternative to illicit gambling, and industry groups say it strengthens consumer protection. As the amendment moves to the National Assembly, Paris’ growing poker culture has become a central factor in the debate over how France should regulate its gaming future.
As the amendment heads to the National Assembly, France’s broader regulatory path, shaped by rising poker participation, enforcement goals, and political turbulence, will influence whether gaming halls become a permanent part of the capital’s gambling landscape.
References
- iGB News: https://igamingbusiness.com/casino-games/france-paris-gaming-clubs-permanent-fixture/
- Senate amendments: https://www.senat.fr/amendements/2025-2026/138/Amdt_I-1037.html
- CFE-CGC: https://www.cfecgc.org/actualites/clubs-de-jeux-parisiens-1500-salaries-au-chomage
- iGaming Today: https://www.igamingtoday.com/france-igaming-market-research-report
