YESorNO: A New Approach to Sports Betting in France
YESorNO has entered the French sports betting market with a unique concept, aiming to differentiate itself from traditional operators. But how does it work?
The core idea is to make betting accessible to everyone. Traditional sports betting is often perceived as aggressive, vulgar, addictive, and difficult to understand. YESorNO aims to reverse this by using modern approaches in its functionality, interface, and simplicity, presenting itself as a fun and social alternative.
Fun: Bets are presented as videos, requiring only a “yes” or “no” response. The interface resembles a mix of TikTok and Tinder, a stark contrast to the Excel-like appearance of conventional betting sites.
Social: Unlike traditional operators who compete against players, YESorNO allows players to compete against each other through mutual betting. Players place small bets on questions, and the winnings from losing bets are distributed among the winners proportionally to their stakes.
A Focus on Responsible Betting
YESorNO emphasizes responsible gambling by limiting bets to between 2 and 20 euros per wager. Weekly and monthly betting limits are also in place, a measure not commonly found elsewhere. The goal is to minimize the risk of addiction and fraud. Players can bet up to 500 euros per week, which, while seemingly high, is significantly lower than the 10,000 to 50,000 euro limits offered by competitors. YESorNO aims to position betting as a game, similar to a scratch ticket, bingo, or a carnival game.
Are players adequately protected in France today? The answer is no. While efforts are being made, the ability to bet 3,000 euros at once on a single bet indicates insufficient protection. Operators are supposed to contact and advise players, but this doesn’t guarantee responsible behavior. By limiting bets, YESorNO acknowledges that some players may leave the site, but they won’t be able to gamble excessively through their platform. This approach is deliberate and decisive.
Challenging the Status Quo
YESorNO aims to refresh the French sports betting market, despite its current strength. A new generation of players is emerging who are no longer satisfied with the interfaces and messages of traditional operators who focus solely on winning. YESorNO is adopting the codes of this new generation, emphasizing responsibility and making betting fun and accessible.
The company collaborates with influencers to promote its videos, aiming for both national and international reach. These content creators, while not necessarily famous, possess unique personalities. Celebrities, such as former rugby player Maxime Mermoz, are also involved.
Other notable figures, including former 100m runner Christophe Lemaître and synchronized swimming champion Virginie Dedieu, are joining the venture. Future collaborations could include prominent figures like Tony Parker, Yannick Noah, or Christophe Dugarry.
Threats to the Industry: The Betting Rights Levy
The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) is considering increasing the betting rights levy from 1% to 2%. This seemingly small change poses a significant threat to YESorNO and other French operators.
All operators are subject to a return-to-player (RTP) rate, which is capped at 85% in France. This means that only 85% of the stakes can be redistributed to players. From 100 euros wagered, 85 euros go to players, leaving 15 euros. After applying the gross gaming revenue and a 20% VAT, only 12 euros remain. Of this, 59% goes to the state as gaming tax, leaving just 5 euros. The Ligue takes 1 euro (1% of the stakes) from this sum, representing 20% of the operator’s turnover. If the Ligue takes 2 euros, only 3 euros remain, and the Ligue takes 40% of the turnover. This is unsustainable and could force French operators to stop offering bets on Ligue 1 matches, benefiting illegal operators who are prevalent in France.
YESorNO’s “Battle Royale” for Roland Garros
To coincide with the French Open, YESorNO is launching a “Battle Royale” tournament inspired by the Squid Game series. Participants compete by answering questions, progressing through seven rounds to win the final prize pool, which will be a minimum of 2,000 euros. The operator promises a thrilling experience.
The State of Sports Betting in France
Currently, there are 16 sports betting operators approved by the Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), the regulatory body for gambling in France. YESorNO was the latest to receive this approval in September 2024.
Sports betting is a lucrative industry. In 2024, a year filled with major sporting events, stakes increased by 21%, exceeding 10 billion euros, according to the ANJ’s annual report.
Across all activities, both online and physical, the market reached 14 billion euros, a 4.7% increase. This places France 10th globally, behind Italy (22 billion euros) and the UK (21 billion euros), and far behind the United States (163 billion euros).
Football remains the most popular sport for bettors, accounting for 60% of all stakes.
The practice is increasingly attracting young people, with over 28% of 17-year-olds having already gambled, according to a study by the Observatoire Français des Drogues et des Tendances Addictives.
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