The idea behind this article is to look at Paris through the eyes of someone who knew the poker scene but hasn’t followed its evolution closely in recent years. We are taking advantage of the European Poker Series (EPS) stop at Club Circus Paris as an opportunity to rediscover the French capital’s live poker ecosystem.
There is an interesting story here: Paris has a surprisingly developed poker scene, but it operates under a legal framework quite different from the casino model found in most European poker destinations.
Paris: a poker capital without casinos?
Paris is one of Europe’s major gambling and entertainment destinations. Yet, unlike London, Barcelona, Prague or Monte Carlo, the French capital itself has no conventional casino. This isn’t an accident, nor a recent administrative oversight. French legislation has historically restricted the establishment of casinos in Paris. The capital has therefore developed a different model: clubs de jeux (gaming clubs).
The distinction matters a lot. Following the disappearance of the traditional Paris gaming circles, France introduced a specific legal framework in 2017, allowing gaming clubs to operate in Paris under an experimental regime. The first establishments opened in 2018. These clubs are commercial businesses authorized by the Ministry of the Interior. They can offer certain table games, including poker, blackjack and punto banco, but they are not casinos. In particular, they cannot operate slot machines and games like roulette although there are more and more talks about changing that.
Paris has found its own way of accommodating the demand for live gambling without lifting the traditional prohibition on casinos in the capital.
Different gaming clubs, different identities
Current count in 2026: 7 authorized clubs
As of November 2026, Paris has seven authorized gaming clubs. The market has evolved considerably since the original opening wave in 2018.
The seven establishments are:
* Club Circus – Paris 16th – Poker tournaments and cash games
* Club Barrière – Paris 8th – Poker and traditional table games
* Club Pierre Charron – Paris 8th – Premium gaming and poker
* Paris Élysées Club – Paris 8th – Poker and house-banked games
* Club Montmartre – Paris 9th – Poker and traditional games
* Imperial Club Paris – Paris 13th – Primarily casino-style table games
* Partouche Casino Club – Paris 17th – Large gaming establishment including poker
The important recent development is the arrival of the Partouche Casino Club in May 2026, replacing the former Punto Club under the same authorized license. This is a significant change in scale for the Paris market.
One distinction worth maintaining is that seven licensed gaming clubs does not automatically mean seven equivalent poker rooms. Some establishments concentrate more on house-banked games, while others have a much stronger player-versus-player poker offering.
The legal framework: an experiment that became an industry
The original legal basis is Article 34 of the Law of 28 February 2017, concerning the status of Paris and metropolitan development. It created the possibility of operating gaming clubs in Paris as an alternative to the traditional gaming circles, which had been progressively disappearing.
The initial experiment began in 2018. The framework was subsequently extended. Importantly, the current consolidated decree still describes an experimental regime, with individual operating authorizations that cannot extend beyond 31 December 2027.
Permanent legal status? Still to be deetermined. The clubs are still subject to very strict authorization and supervision, including requirements concerning games offered, table numbers, opening hours, security and responsible gambling. That. way, Paris isn’t simply a city where casinos happen to be absent. It has developed a separate regulatory and commercial model for live gaming.
The Circus connection
For poker players familiar with the Belgian scene, the name Circus should ring a bell.The Paris establishment belongs to the Circus Casino France operation, part of the wider Gaming1 group, whose activities include the well-known Circus Casino Resort Namur. It was inaugurated in September 2019, following a disclosed investment of approximately €5 million.
The club was designed around approximately 30 gaming tables, with a restaurant and bar as part of the overall experience. This makes it one of the established names in the modern Paris gaming-club landscape rather than one of its newest arrivals.
Paris poker on a draw
The Paris poker scene, globally speaking, seems in relatively good health. Plenty of options to play, plenty of local regs, plenty of visitors, but there is quite some uncertainty in the air when it comes to he future of the regulatory model. In fact, it will be very interesting to find out what happens after the current experimental authorization period ends in late 2027. We are of course planning on keeping our readers posted about the evolution of live poker regulation in Paris.
Meanwhile, for readers who enjoy discovering poker places around the globe, our LIFESTYLE section is a great place to keep up with what’s going on on planet poker. Find more content on https://pokerexclusive.com/lifestyle and have fun at the tables.
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