The Esports World Cup got underway in Paris this week and will attract bettors around the globe. However, France’s gambling regulator (ANJ) has warned that any wagering on the event inside the country is illegal.
“All sites offering eSports betting are illegal in France,” wrote the ANJ in an announcement on its website.
The regulator explained that it prohibits wagering on esports “to protect young people from the inherent dangers of gambling.”
Since esports betting is only available on unlicensed platforms, anyone wagering on the Esports World Cup from within France faces significant risks. This includes having personal data or financial information stolen.
Additionally, sites offering esports betting in France are not held to the country’s standards for protecting users from gambling harm. As a result, operators may encourage excessive gambling and may not offer the same player protections as licensed sportsbooks.
Prediction Markets Also Illegal, Says ANJ
While sportsbooks in France are not legally allowed to accept wagers on esports, users be tempted to use prediction markets such as Kalshi and Polymarket.
Both platforms have extensive markets in the Esports World Cup as they continue expanding their esports offerings.
The ANJ, however, warned that these platforms are also illegal in France. Polymarket officially added the country to its list of 33 restricted nations after the ANJ contacted the operator in 2024.
Many users may still use the platform through a VPN. Earlier this year, the ANJ criticized prediction markets, saying they are considered illegal gambling and warned users to steer clear.
“Because these prediction sites exhibit several addictive characteristics similar to those observed in online gambling, but amplified by the absence of the protection mechanisms that exist in the legal gambling market, the ANJ urges users to exercise caution,” it wrote in another announcement.
Unregulated Esports Betting Adding To Integrity Risks
The ANJ added that the rise of prediction markets had added to integrity risks in sports.
“As soon as an actor can bet on an event and influence its probability, the market creates a financial incentive to provoke or accelerate negative outcomes such as performance sabotage in sports or violent actions in geopolitics,” it wrote.
Oddin.gg’s Head of Risk, Ondřej Žemba, said low-tier events in particular are at risk of being manipulated for betting purposes.
Flagship events at the Esports World Cup come with significant prize pools and may be less susceptible to integrity risks. Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves, for example, has a prize pool of $1 million.
Users outside France can still legally wager on events. Prediction markets are also available in most US states, even where no legal sports betting markets exist. Although regulators continue to fight against operators.
