On a Saturday afternoon, the line at the PMU counter is getting longer, post time is approaching, and the bet hasn’t been validated yet. This is exactly the kind of situation PMU+’s scan feature and digital tools are designed to solve, without replacing the in-store experience.
In-store horse betting remains PMU’s traditional channel, but the way people access it has changed: between preparing bets in the app, validating them by SMS or QR code, and paying with the PMU+ card, the process is now split between the phone and the counter.
PMU+ scanning at a retail outlet: what happens between the phone and the terminal
The scan feature works using a QR code generated by the PMU+ app. You prepare your bets on your phone (choose the race and bet type, then select the horses) and save them. When it’s time to pay, the app displays a QR code for the terminal or tobacconist to scan and register your stake.
The key is the order of operations. Presenting your PMU+ card before scanning the QR code is a step many bettors forget. Without this prior identification, the terminal won’t link the bet to your account, and you won’t earn rewards. The card can be physical or virtual (available in the app), but it must be scanned first.
When you use a PMU retail outlet with PMU+ scanning, the time savings are real: there’s no need to enter your bet at the counter; all that’s left is validation and payment. During busy periods, such as a Sunday Quinté, the difference can be measured in minutes.
SMS, QR code or PMU+ card: which method to use in each situation
The PMU+ app offers three ways to validate a bet at a retail outlet. They aren’t equally suited to every situation, and confusing them can lead to common errors.
- Betting by SMS is useful when you’re not yet at the retail outlet. Prepare your bet in the app, select “bet by SMS”, and the app automatically drafts the message to send. The phone number linked to your account serves as your identifier. On iOS, you’re automatically taken back to the app; on Android, you need to reopen it manually.
- The QR code is used on site, at the terminal or counter. It’s the fastest method when you’ve prepared your bets in advance. The requirement: present your PMU+ card first so your account can be recognized.
- The PMU+ card alone (physical or virtual) lets you pay for your bets without using the app. Place your bet directly at the terminal or counter, and use the card as a payment method linked to your account. Your stakes are then recorded for the rewards program.
The choice mainly depends on timing. SMS works remotely, the QR code speeds up your visit to a retail outlet, and using the card alone is a fallback when your phone has run out of battery or has no signal.
PMU+ account and PMU.fr account: two distinct regulatory frameworks
A common misconception is that PMU+ and PMU.fr accounts provide access to the same services. They don’t, and the reason is regulatory rather than technical.
The PMU+ account is exclusively for horse bets placed at retail outlets, racecourses or by phone. The PMU.fr account, on the other hand, provides access to online horse betting, sports betting and poker. These two accounts are covered by separate licenses issued by the ANJ.
In June 2025, the French National Gambling Authority also renewed PMU’s licenses for online horse betting, sports betting and poker for a five-year period starting in September 2025.
In practice, a bettor who prepares their bets in the PMU+ app and validates them at a retail outlet is not betting “online” in the regulatory sense. The app is a preparation and scanning tool, not a remote betting platform. The distinction may seem administrative, but it affects betting limits, withdrawal terms for winnings and the protections available to players.
Winnings and rewards on the PMU+ account
Winnings from a bet validated using the PMU+ card are credited directly to the betting account. The rewards program is based on a monthly betting threshold: once you reach it, bonus euros are credited to your account. Only bets recorded using the PMU+ card count toward this total, so cash bets placed without identifying yourself are excluded.
In-store horse betting: a channel under pressure but still dominant
Data published by the ANJ and reported by Vie-publique.fr show a clear trend: gross gaming revenue from in-store horse betting is declining as gambling increasingly moves online. Growth in online horse betting does not necessarily mean the customer base is expanding. Instead, active players are placing more bets through the digital channel.
For the physical retail network, this raises a practical question. PMU retail outlets remain the leading distribution channel for horse betting in France, but their share is declining year by year. The PMU+ app reflects this tension: it modernizes the in-store experience without going fully online, keeping an in-person visit as part of the validation process.
This channel’s performance also has implications beyond bettors. Funding for the horse-racing industry depends directly on the volume of bets recorded, and the split between physical and digital channels affects the amounts redistributed to races, breeders and racecourses. When a bettor scans their QR code at a tobacconist’s, they’re contributing—perhaps without realizing it—to an economic cycle that extends far beyond the betting slip.
