The National Assembly of France is set to examine a bill which could lead to online gambling being legalised in France.
Bill 1248, introduced this week by Philippe Latombe from the Democratic Movement Party, outlines proposals for opening a regulated market of online casinos in France.
The bill’s core proposal is a “five year moratorium”, which would make online casino gambling legal for five years, but only for “national players”.
Online casino in France
In article 2 of the bill, it was stated that this measure would last until January 1, 2030. The market will be opened up to all operators who are interested in providing online casino after this.
The bill stated that this would allow licensees in the “serene economic conditions” to develop before the market is fully opened.
The bill stated that “if the opening were total and immediate, this would upset our regulatory structures, weakening the national casino industry, and the economic equilibrium of the municipalities where they are located.” This could have devastating effects on employment in the sector.
In Article 1, operators are authorized to offer similar online casino games to those available at land-based casinos.
Article 3 states that the online casino games will be subject to the same taxes as other gambling forms.
Justification for Change
Online casinos are not currently legal in France. Internet betting on horse racing and sports is permitted via approved operators. Land-based casinos licensed are also legal.
Bill 1248 states that the new habits of players have led them to prefer gambling online. Internet casino is currently illegal in the United States, forcing consumers to gamble on offshore sites without protection.
The bill stated that legalising online casinos, and issuing licenses to approved operators would create a safer atmosphere for players. The bill also added that this market would help the country generate more tax revenue.
The bill stated that “the ban against online casinos has reached its limit, even if authorities attempt to identify and block sites illegal using court orders.”
In light of these changes, it seems that the absolute prohibition regime does not protect consumers very well. It is therefore necessary to ask about the evolution of French law to accommodate new practices.
