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The French Creep Forward

The French government is apparently seeking to make amends with the European Commission, and the entirety of the EU for that matter considering that representatives for the French government met with the European Commissioner last week to discuss opening the French online casino gambling market. At this point, France operates a lucrative state-owned internet gambling monopoly and French national legislation bans online casinos in other EU member-states from accessing the French gambling market. While the European Commission has continually sought negotiations with the French government concerning the online casino gambling monopoly, only in the recent months has the government shown any inclination to compromise of the foreign internet gambling regulations.

Recent reports indicate that Commissioner Charlie McCreevy has met with the French Budget Minister, Eric Woerth concerning the drafting new online casino gambling regulations. Part of the impetus for the French governments new, more liberal attitude toward foreign online casinos comes from pressure from the Commission and a threat from Commissioner McCreevy that France would be brought before the European Court of Justice (ECJ) if it did not put a halt to the current gambling monopoly.

There is no specific information on the negotiations between Woerth and Commissioner McCreevy, but initial reports indicate that the two were able to come up with a newly drafted state internet gambling regulations. Some in the internet gambling industry though speculate that even if the French market opens to foreign online casinos, “it is likely that the French government will adopt a very restrictive regime with high tax rates,” observed a spokesperson for Ladbrokes.

At this point the online casino gambling negotiations are at an early stage, and there is every indication that Commissioner McCreevy will work diligently to secure an open French gambling industry.