A major blow for Parisian gambling clubs
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5 Jan 2025 •
Reading time: 2 minutes The curtain fell on seven emblematic gambling clubs in the French capital on December 31. After a six-year experiment, these establishments, created to regulate gambling in Paris, are ceasing their activities due to lack of a legislative extension. A situation with serious consequences, both economically and socially.
The abrupt end of the gaming club experiment is the result of a real political impasse. Introduced in 2018 to counter clandestine clubs and money laundering, this measure allowed the establishments to operate under a strict framework. However, the 2025 finance bill, which provided for an extension until the end of 2025, was censored following the fall of Michel Barnier’s government. This censorship leaves operators without a legal framework to maintain their activities.
Speaking figures
In 2023, the clubs generated 119 million euros in turnover, an increase of 11% compared to the previous year, according to the National Gaming Authority. They also bring in 50 million euros to the public authorities, with a distribution of 40 million for the State and 10 million for the Paris city hall. This essential revenue disappeared with the closure of the clubs.
1,500 jobs on hold
Up to 1,500 direct jobs are threatened, mainly on permanent contracts. A source close to the establishments told AFP: “We got the green light from the Ministry of Labor this week to put our employees on partial activity.”
This temporary measure allows the State to cover 60% of salaries while waiting for a possible reopening. But this solution is only a bandage on an open wound.
Economic and social consequences
The closure of clubs could have devastating effects on the local economy. Operators, such as the Barrière and Tranchant groups, fear a resurgence of clandestine clubs, rendering useless all the regulatory efforts undertaken since 2018.
“The situation is unprecedented and insane. We ask the future government to find a solution as soon as possible,” declared Grégory Rabuel, CEO of the Barrière group.
The social consequences are immense. Entire families depend on these jobs, and the prospects for retraining are slim in such a specialized sector. More modest establishments, such as the Club Montmartre or the Club Pierre Charron, risk rapid bankruptcy.
Despite the crisis, operators still hope for a favorable outcome. According to a source close to the negotiations, the clubs will do everything they can to pass into the next legislative vehicle. But the formation of a new government is an essential prerequisite, and time is running out.
In addition, unions are mobilizing to obtain financial aid and additional guarantees for employees. However, as Romain Tranchant, president of the Tranchant group, explains: “No immediate solution is possible without a new legislative framework.”