Setback for French Online Gambling

In mid April the Senate and the French National Assembly passed the bill that legalize and regulates online gambling. The Constitutional Council of France has to rule on whether proposed statutes conform to the Constitution, under the French law, after the Parliaments votes and before they are signed into law by the President of the Republic.
This bill had to comply with the European Law, however when the bill was passed it was stated that the bill did not comply with many of the provisions of the European Union Law. They believed there however that because the deadline of the Football World Cup was too close and because online gaming operators had already started putting in their applications that somehow the bill would go through.

Now the European Gaming and Betting Association have published the statement of the French Constitutional Council, which has been viewed as a setback to this legalization process. The Council stated that it is not competent to assess whether the proposed laws are compliant with European law and requirements. It is possible that the President can go ahead and sign the bill into law. It apparently does not violate the French Constitution and that is critical. However all the shortcomings of the bill have once again begun to surface and the European Gaming and Betting Association is at the forefront.

The requirements in the bill will force the long established European online gambling operators entering the French market to unnecessarily duplicate controls and guarantees, but this is only the beginning of the problem. The real issue is the discriminatory restrictions that are being imposed in terms of limits on the maximum returns that bettors will be allowed. This is to discourage gambling but its alleged real intent is to protect the state owned gambling companies that presently are monopolies. European Gaming and Betting Association Secretary General Sigrid Ligne said that if European gambling operators still enter the French market they will be taken risks of legal and business uncertainty. But the online operators , members mainly from European Gaming and Betting Association do not seem to mind taking these risks, knowing that ultimately the French bettor who will pay for the faults of the legislators.

If this bill comes into law it is important to know that it will only legalize online poker and online sport betting. Online casino wagering will remain illegal.