Viva la (Gambling) Revolution!

France will create a regulatory agency responsible for monitoring and licensing applicants for legal online gambling. Servers will need to be accessible to this agency, so that software and records can be audited and monitored for fraud or cheating.

The president of the French National Crime Commission has devised a list of important steps to observe as the market is gradually opened. The problems foreseen by opponents of online gambling are covered, with measures included to control potential damage.

Only online casinos with a history of seven or more years will be allowed to apply.

Full disclosure and transparency will be required of all online gambling sites, including investors and shareholders as well as employees who will have to pass background checks.

Players identification
Player registration will involve submission of a legal form of identification, including a French bank account, and issuing of a distinct PIN for activation and play.

Sharing of information, such as suspicious sports betting patterns, with the government is demanded, as well as regulation similar to that against insider trading to prevent wagering by sources with team or player connections.

A system to detect and block gamblers identified as problem gamblers must be set in place.

Excellent work
France has carefully considered all the necessary steps that must be taken and considered the security items that need to be established to make the system as "fiddle-proof" as possible. The French authorities appear to be doing an excellent job of protecting their citizenry, far better than a ban driving online gambling underground or leaving it in the hands of uncontrolled entities. Maybe the United States could take a lesson.

Finally, good news for players and operators as France welcomes players to the world of online gambling.