| Summary: | While a large part of the French population participates in gambling, “problem gambling” and its adverse consequences affect certain socio-economic groups more than others. This article investigates the relationship between gambling and inequalities and contends that gambling can be considered as a “regressive tax”. We do this by first conducting an overview of previous international literature on the topic, second, by focusing on the social differentiation of gambling practices and problem gambling in France based on population studies, and third, by considering those who gain from gambling in France. Beneficiaries’ dependence on gambling tax revenues has an impact on gambling regulation and may have consequences in terms of addiction, particularly by reinforcing it. This reflection may arise because the beneficiaries are dependent on indirect taxation based largely on problem gamblers, a category in which gamblers from low-income backgrounds are over-represented.
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