PMU Deploys AI Chatbot Léon to Boost Horseracing Engagement

Chatbot Léon Goes Live

French horse-racing betting operator PMU has introduced Léon, an AI-powered chatbot designed to assist bettors with race information, horse and driver statistics, betting guidance, and performance-based recommendations. Available around the clock, the tool is accessible to users with PMU+ and Play accounts and aims to cater to both inexperienced and seasoned punters as part of the company's broader push to modernise its online horseracing offering.

Multi-Vertical Play Platform

Léon builds on the momentum of PMU Play, a unified platform launched on 31 March that brings together horseracing, sports betting and poker within a single application. The operator claims it is the only app on the French market to combine these three verticals, with users able to toggle between them via a dedicated button. PMU has also indicated that additional segments—including a potential online casino under the Play brand—could be added in future, subject to regulatory approval.

Cross-Selling Push for Horseracing

While lottery, sports betting and poker have driven PMU's customer growth and market-share gains over the past decade, horseracing has lagged behind. To address this, the operator is refining its cross-selling strategy, with a focus on steering existing sports and poker players toward horseracing in 2026. PMU notes that engaging current gamblers is more effective than attempting to attract people who do not already participate in gambling.

Marketing Blitz

In April, PMU rolled out a nationwide 360-degree campaign spanning TV, outdoor advertising, press and digital channels to promote its Play app. The campaign was unveiled on 14 April during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg between Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain.