In a market often associated with the rise of sports betting, France tells a very different story. The most popular gambling-related searches in the country are not about sports — but about lottery.
According to new data from Blask, the lottery accounts for approximately 78% of total gambling search demand in France, making it by far the dominant category. By comparison, online casino generate around 10%, while live dealer, betting, and poker each account for roughly 4% — underscoring how marginal sports-related interest is within the overall demand structure.
To help operators better understand these dynamics, Blask has introduced a new category-level analysis feature, enabling a detailed breakdown of demand across verticals and subcategories within each market. Built on non-branded search data, the feature provides a clearer view of what players are actually looking for, whether it’s lottery in France, football betting in Brazil, or culturally driven formats in India. For the industry, the takeaway is clear: assumptions about what should drive demand often miss how markets actually behave.
France is part of a broader global pattern where local context outweighs global trends. But the shape of demand varies significantly from country to country.
In Brazil, online betting accounts for around 52% of total demand, driven largely by football. However, lottery still holds a strong ~25% share, while fantasy sports reach approximately 11%. Casino (~6%) and live dealer (~2%) remain comparatively small.
India shows a more balanced distribution: lottery leads with ~35%, followed by live dealer at ~29%, while online casino, betting, and fantasy each contribute around 10%.
In Europe, differences are equally pronounced. Italy’s demand is heavily influenced by football seasonality, with fantasy sports leading at ~37%, while Switzerland stands out with a casino-first structure, where online casino reaches approximately 38% of total demand.
Across all markets analysed, two consistent trends emerge: the largest categories are often the oldest ones, and regulation plays a decisive role in shaping demand. Where certain verticals are restricted, interest does not disappear. It shifts into adjacent or offshore segments.
