France Throws Curve to Online Betting Sites - 10-13-09

October 13 - Just as the online gambling world was gearing up for the positive effects to be had from changes in the French gambling laws, things were thrown into disarray with the announcement that a last minute amendment had been added to the reform legislation.

In a scene that was strangely reminiscent of the way the Unlawful Internet Gambling and Enforcement Act was hitched to an unrelated law in the United States in 2006, the new amendment will essentially remove the possibility for punters to place bets in France.

The move has come as a huge surprise to online gambling sites such as Betfair, which has been building on the potential new business that changes in France would have brought its group.

Betfair allows its customers to place bets and could be struck a major blow.

The Managing Director of Betfair, Mark Davies, said that the group is still contemplating its next move, following the news of the amendment.

"We will consider our position," he said. "It is fairly clearly discriminatory against the biggest and most competitive online operators in Europe. It is a slap in the face for the consumer."

The new amendment demands that groups applying for gambling licenses in the new, liberalized French market should close the accounts of all French residents whom they currently have on their databases.

What has irked groups such as Betfair about this law is that the law does not require this from monopoly companies such as Francaise des Jeux and Pari Mutuel Urbain.

The need to close so many accounts means that online gambling groups could miss out on up to six months before they can receive a French gambling license - a critical amount of time in a market where competition will be rife from the beginning.

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