Paris Gambling Laws
Paris Gambling Laws
In France online gambling services are solely offered by the Pari-Mutuel-Urbain (PMU), the French horserace and sports betting network. Before this, online gambling was not permitted in France. France is a part of the EU Member states and recently the French gambling regulations have been under investigation for being possibly over-restrictive. The France gambling laws comes under scrutiny.
In 2007, the European Commission directed the French government to re draft its gambling laws on online gambling to accommodate the operation of foreign gambling companies in France as a legal action.
After a yearlong battle between the European Commission and the French Government on the legalization of online gambling, France finally stated that it would consider a controlled opening of online betting which would be enforced in 2010.
According the draft bill a controlled opening of online betting in France would begin on January 1st, 2010. The bill also states detailed tax rates, the creation of a regulatory agency, licensing requisites, and the structure of fines and prison sentences for illegal operators.
In order to ensure additional revenue to online sports betting and race wagering operators as well, a unique clause requires them to arrive at agreements with organizers. There have been concerns that the bill would deem sites that are not approved by France as illegal.