Right2Bet vs French Online Gambling Reforms

Right2Bet, the consumer group fighting for fair access to online gambling, have criticized the French government's move to restrict non-French companies.

France's National Assembly passed the reforms by a vote of 299 for and 233 against last week, with only the country's Supreme Court now able to stop it becoming law.

It is expected that many companies will be forced to stop offering their services to French citizens under the new laws, which in turn will restrict the variety of choices to French online gambling consumers.

Right2Bet spokesman Mike Robb said the new laws were not reforms, calling it "an attempt by the French government to do something that looks like reform whilst continuing to shore up the state monopolies and domestic providers."

According to Right2Bet's own research, French citizens would have better access to the private sector if not forced to comply with French sports betting monopoly Francaise des Jeux.

The group, which runs a European Union-wide campaign to allow all EU citizens to have the right to choose their own online betting provider, is encouraging people to sign a petition against the laws, which it will then take to legislators in Paris and Brussels.

The French government has said it is undertaking the reforms in order to open the country's gaming market to private competition and bring it into line with its obligations as a member of the European Union.