Online Casino, casinos

Debate is raging in the world of online gaming concerning online poker, sports betting and horse racing sites about returning to zero the accounts of existing French players on current gaming sites. In fact one of the clauses imposed by the regulatory authority for online gaming (ARJEL) to obtain a French gaming licence is to put the counters of French players back to zero. This clause is anticonstitutional due to the fact that the Francaise des Jeux (FDJ) and the PMU are not affected by this measure because they are legal in the eyes of the law. So for many years the FDJ and PMU have given their players the possibility of betting on a football match or validating a lottery or horse racing slip on the internet. However these ex-state monolopies won't be obliged to return their counters to zero in 2010 the date of the opening up of the online gaming market in France. There isn't in any case equal treatment for the FDJ and PMU and the other online gaming sites ( sports betting, online poker and horse racing, editor's note) such as Unibet, Betclic, Zeturf, Chilipoker and many other sites because the latter have to respect clauses not imposed on the FDJ and PMU. Also the FDJ and PMU have an advantage over their competitors as regards communication because they have the authorisation to advertise while the other online gaming sites are considered to be outside the law and can't in theory promote their sites. It is important to specify “in theory” because there are certain online gaming sites who don't yet have a French licence and who advertise on news sites such as the Figaro or Paris Match where it's possible to see ads for Betclic or William Hill Poker.

Counters to zero: possible or not?
Will the online gaming sites based in Gibraltar, in England or Malta be inclined to reset the counters of French players to zero? That's the question on the eve of the examination of the text in the senate which will take place in January 2010. Will sites like Bwin which spend millions of dollars every year to have their brands known in the four corners of the world agree to respect this clause in the document? It's not so sure. In fact will an online gaming site like Bwin which sponsors football teams like Real Madrid and AC Milan and also clips like that of Lady Gaga in the Poker Face clip accept to lose thousands of French players acquired over many years? It's not certain more so since the French market only represents for a good number of the current operators just a part but not a negligeable part of their business. For example, the French market is unavoidable for Betclic and Isabelle Parize, director general of Mangas Gaming, doesn't exclude not applying to the ARJEL for a French gaming licence.

Hundreds of internet sites are in the same position as Betclic and are facing a veritable dilemma. Isn't it preferable to continue offering ones services to French internet users without a French gaming licence from a European country? Or else should one put French players counters to zero and deprive oneself of enormous financial income while hoping to reconquer this market in a legal manner?

The online gaming sites are hoping for an outcome in the proposed law on this point notably which could discourage many sites from asking for a French licence and operating from Malta, Gibraltar or Great Britain as they have been doing for many years. 2010 will bring many new developments and surprises. To be continued...

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