France’s gambling regulator has warned that all esports betting remains illegal under French law as the $75 million Esports World Cup gets underway in Paris, France.

The Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ) said esports competitions are not among the sporting events approved for betting, meaning wagers on tournament outcomes are prohibited whether offered by traditional sportsbooks or prediction market platforms that let users trade contracts on match results.

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The 2026 FIFA World Cup surpassed $5.4 billion by late June 2026 overtaking the 2024 U.S. presidential election as the largest event category in prediction market history.… pic.twitter.com/pMwLehUMsV

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The regulator urged consumers to avoid unauthorized operators, saying only betting on officially approved sporting competitions is permitted under French law.

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Under French law, betting is only permitted on sporting events that have been formally approved by the regulator. While traditional sports such as football, tennis and horse racing are authorized, esports competitions have not been added to the approved list, effectively making all esports betting illegal in the country.

The warning comes as prediction markets increasingly expand into sports, raising fresh regulatory questions over whether event-based contracts should be treated as financial products or gambling.

REPORT | Sports Becomes the Largest Event Category in Prediction Markets History in June 2026

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