France Cracks the Whip

In an effort to enforce the regulated online gaming industry in France, Budget Minister Eric Woerth has made several impassioned pleas to operators. Among them he has called for an immediate cessation to advertising campaigns seeking to cajole gamblers into playing.

It's illegal
But it's not simply any advertising that the minister wants banned; it's the illegal actions of unlicensed operators that have the French government concerned. BetClic - a major player- has been promoting their trade on air with radio station Europe 1. With dissent from the government BetClic has agreed to cease their advertising.

The lion's share of online gambling in France belongs to PMU and Française des Jeux. As it stands these licensed operators are able to maximize their dominant position for the next 7 months, with the government enforcing the protection measures. BetClic has agreed in principle to halt its advertising with Europe 1 provided its competitors don't run their promotional campaigns either.

Deadlines adhered to
France has a secure system in place for dealing with online gambling activity. Until January 1, 2010 only operators in France are legally allowed to ply their trade. Outside operators have been urged to cease their operations with immediate effect. As such, the deadline for operations must be adhered to and no foreign competition will be permitted. Come January 1, the French parliament will decide how to proceed on the matter with a plebiscite.

The matter appears to be soundly managed with the government cracking the whip on outside operators operating without consent in French cyberspace. With an overhaul of European restrictions on online gambling activity in the pipeline operators are eager to get a foot in the door in new markets for the time when restrictions are finally lifted.