Is crypto betting legal in France?

The legal status of crypto betting in France is complex and operates within a restricted framework. While cryptocurrency itself is recognized and regulated as a digital asset under the oversight of the Autorité des Marchés Financiers (AMF), its application in gambling is limited to the types of online gambling that are legally permitted.

The French Gambling Act of 2010 (Law No. 2010-476) legalized and opened up online sports betting, horse race betting, and poker to licensed operators. Within this licensed environment, the use of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin for placing bets is permissible. However, the law explicitly prohibits online casino games such as slots and roulette.

Therefore, while crypto betting on sports or poker through a licensed operator is legal, engaging in crypto gambling on online casino platforms falls into a legal gray area at best, and is often considered illegal. The French regulator, Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), actively works to block access to unlicensed offshore gambling sites, many of which are crypto-centric.

There have been discussions about evolving regulations, including an experimental framework for digital objects in online games introduced in early 2026, which may pave the way for clearer regulations around crypto and NFT betting in the future, but for now, the landscape remains restrictive.