Groupe Partouche to let customers buy chips with crypto at 40 French casinos
Lyzi will convert crypto to euros using USDC and EURC; roll-out across the network in 2026–27
Key Takeaways
- Groupe Partouche will let customers convert cryptocurrencies into chips at its 40 casinos in France.
- The service is operated by payments fintech Lyzi and uses USDC and EURC as the conversion route to euros.
- Roll‑out begins during the rest of 2026 with the objective of covering the full network in 2027.
- The project started with trials at three venues in 2022 and forms part of a four‑year initiative.
- Transfers are subject to identity, wallet‑ownership and origin‑of‑funds checks; Lyzi may require enhanced verification above set thresholds.
Groupe Partouche will allow customers to convert cryptocurrencies into gaming chips at its network of 40 casinos in France. The crypto payment programme will roll out during the rest of 2026, with the aim of applying the service across the French network by 2027. The exchange will be operated by French payments firm and fintech Lyzi, following earlier trials at three locations.
How the service will work
Customers will be able to transfer cryptocurrency from accounts at custodial exchanges or from self‑custodied wallets. Lyzi will process transactions by routing transfers through the stablecoins USDC and EURC authorised by Lyzi, and then converting those assets to euros. Partouche will issue the corresponding value in chips or credits loaded to customers’ accounts.
Partouche stressed that none of its venues will custody cryptocurrencies or accept wagers denominated in digital currency.
Origins and trials of the project
The project is part of a four‑year initiative and began with tests in three venues in 2022. Maurice Schulmann, Chief Director of Transformation, Technology, Data and AI at Partouche, said the group has developed the proposal since 2022 and that the path was not straightforward.
"Any player visiting one of our casinos can now pay for their chips in crypto", Maurice Schulmann said when announcing the programme.
Partouche said it delayed full deployment while European and French authorities moved toward a firmer regulatory framework.
Compliance and controls
The service is designed to comply with obligations of the French Monetary Code relating to anti‑money‑laundering preventive measures. Crypto transfers will be subject to identity checks, wallet‑ownership verification, origin‑of‑funds checks and anti‑money‑laundering measures. Lyzi says transactions above certain thresholds may require enhanced identity verification.
Partouche says the new regulatory regime, including progress toward the common framework established by the Markets in Crypto‑Assets Regulation (MiCA), provides the certainty needed to expand the service with authorised payments and crypto‑asset providers. The controls the group will require were designed to be comparable to existing measures on payments and customer funds in casinos.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which casinos will get the crypto‑for‑chips service?
The service will be implemented across Groupe Partouche’s network of 40 casinos in France. Roll‑out begins during the rest of 2026 and Partouche aims to apply the service across the whole network in 2027.
Which cryptocurrencies will Partouche and Lyzi process?
Lyzi will process transactions by converting via the stablecoins USDC and EURC that it has authorised. Partouche has not published an exhaustive list of cryptocurrencies that may be accepted for direct purchase.
How are cryptocurrencies converted into chips inside the casino?
Customers transfer crypto from custodial exchange accounts or self‑custody wallets; Lyzi converts those funds via USDC and EURC into euros, and Partouche issues equivalent chips or account credits.
What compliance checks apply to crypto transfers?
Transfers are subject to identity checks, wallet‑ownership verification, origin‑of‑funds checks and anti‑money‑laundering measures under the French Monetary Code. Lyzi may require enhanced identity verification for transactions above certain thresholds.
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About the author
Isabela Fuentes
Payments Correspondent
Isabela Fuentes covers payments and fintech in the gambling industry — processor and PSP deals, payment-method launches, crypto rails, and the compliance shifts that decide what players can pay with at the cashier. She opens with the deal or launch, names the companies and methods precisely, and translates the jargon into what operators and players gain or lose. From PIX and open banking to stablecoin settlement, Isabela Fuentes follows the money moving the sector.
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