Blask: Offshore operators captured nearly 84% of French gambling demand amid October surge

Offshore gambling brands increased their share of online gambling search demand in France from 67.5% to 83.9% between September and October 2026, according to data from Blask. The shift came as overall gambling search interest more than doubled, with licensed operators capturing only a limited share of the increase. Blask’s analysis compared two 14-day periods: September 7–20 and September 29–October 12. Daily search demand across the French gambling market rose by more than 100% between the two windows, with the strongest activity recorded in early October. The increase coincided with a period of nationwide demonstrations and public-sector unrest in France. Protests began with school blockades in late September and continued into October. However, gambling search interest was already declining by the time further demonstrations took place on October 17 and 24. The most significant change occurred in the distribution of demand between licensed and offshore operators. Offshore brands gained 16.4 percentage points of French gambling search interest, reaching 83.9% of the total Blask Index during the second observation period. Licensed operators also recorded growth of approximately 25% in absolute search demand, but their activity remained below August levels. France’s regulatory framework provides important context for the imbalance. The national gambling regulator, Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), permits licensed online sports betting, horse racing and poker, while online casino games remain prohibited. As a result, consumer demand for online casino products is directed toward operators outside the country’s licensed gambling framework. Two brands accounted for approximately half of the increase in search demand. Leon recorded a more than tenfold increase in its daily Blask Index, while gtBet first appeared in Blask’s French market data on September 29. However, the expansion was not limited to these operators. Excluding gtBet from the analysis, French gambling search demand still nearly doubled, reflecting broader growth across numerous offshore casino brands. The shift also extended beyond the initial October peak. Although overall search interest declined toward the end of the month, offshore operators continued to account for a larger proportion of French gambling demand than before the surge. The findings suggest that the autumn increase in online gambling interest disproportionately benefited operators outside France’s licensed market. While regulated betting and poker brands experienced some growth, they did not capture a comparable share of the additional search demand. Methodology: Blask Index measures relative online search demand. The figures compare average daily search interest across two 14-day periods. The reported shares represent proportions of Blask Index, not gambling revenue, player numbers or financial market share.