All Paris gaming clubs threatened with closure on January 1, 2025

There have been no casinos in Paris for over a century. A 1919 law prohibits gambling within a 100-kilometre radius of Paris - the first restrictive laws on the subject cited the need to protect low-income workers from losing their money, and the close links between such establishments and criminal organizations.

Over the years, the laws have relaxed a little. Gaming circles (which later became gambling clubs) were allowed for a time, before they too were banned in 2017, following numerous stories of money laundering, embezzlement and corruption.

In 2018, Emmanuel Macron authorized, on an experimental basis, the opening of several gaming clubs in the capital (clubs can offer table games, but not slot machines). To date, there are seven of them: the Barrière club, the Paris Élysées Club, the Montmartre club, the Punto Club, the Circus Paris club, the Impérial Club Paris, and the Pierre Charron club.

Where to gamble in Paris? Guide to casinos and gaming clubs in Paris
Fancy a game of roulette, poker or slot machines? We're off to discover the various casinos and gaming clubs in Paris and the Île-de-France region. This is your chance to try your hand at different games of chance, and maybe hit the jackpot! [Read more]

The experiment was originally due to end in 2020, but was extended to 2022 and then to the end of 2024... The finance bill presented by Michel Barnier to the French National Assembly provided for a further extension of this authorization, before making the authorization for gaming clubs in Paris permanent in 2026. The bill was rejected, and the Prime Minister was forced to hand in his resignation to the President of the Republic. As a result, the future of the gaming clubs was put on hold.

• To be read
• Tips for the week of December 9 - 15, 2024 in Paris: free or inexpensive outings
• What to do in Paris in December 2024? Discover this month's events in the Paris Region
• Free museums and monuments this Sunday: places to visit in Paris on January 5, 2025

Without authorization to continue operating, Parisian gaming clubs will have to close their doors on January 1, 2025, according to information from Les Echos newspaper , confirmed by BFM Business. The Ministry of the Interior reportedly informed the clubs of this impending closure at the beginning of December.

In the columns of Ouest France, Grégory Rabuel, General Manager of the Barrière Group, confesses his astonishment. " We are asking the future government to find a solution as quickly as possible," he urges, fearing that many employees will have to be laid off. Several clubs have reportedly asked the executive to introduce short-time working for employees affected by the closures, pending the installation of the next government, and the adoption of a new finance bill.

Gambling carries risks: debt, isolation, dependence. For help, call 09 74 75 13 13 (toll-free)