24/09/2009, Online casino
Several big companies from UK were forced to relocate their online gambling operation home to Gibraltar in the last couple of years.
The other UK companies may receive a big boost in the nearest future, when the gambling industry will open up in France. The French market is expected to open up to foreign companies.
The Bill regarding the legalization of the outside companies coming into the French gambling market is about to be discussed on the 7th of October.
If the Bill is approved, the government will move forward with setting up the regulations for the online gambling in the country.
The Bill will let the foreign companies to offer sports gambling and online poker and it will end the monopolies of the state lottery “Groupe Francaise des Jeux” and “Pari Mutuel Urbain”. Any other forms of online betting will remain banned.
UK Gambling companies such as PartyGaming, William Hill and 888 Holdings, which are facing a slowing market, could benefit from being allowed into France, as soon as France will open its online betting market to the foreign operators.
“The size of the population and the appetite for gambling, and the group's historically cautious approach to France make this a particularly exciting opportunity for us,” said the Chief Executive Officer of PartyGaming, Jim Ryan.
Several European countries are planning to change their online gambling laws.