France opens its market for online games
The addicted to gambling who resisted the temptation to bet online, on the grounds that the practice was not authorized in France, will be able to satisfy their passion.
According to the decree published in the OJ, the Regulatory Authority online games (Arjel), a specially created, issued 17 licenses, or "amenities" to 11 operators of online games to start from the Paris Global South Africa (June 11-July 11).
The Arjel had received 25 cases corresponding to approximately 35 applications for approval paris sports, horse or Poker. A figure that has evolved steadily, because there is no deadline for submitting applications. One thing is certain, there will be poor candidates because half of the applications have been reviewed by the Arjel. Moreover, the opening of online poker games has been delayed a month because of an obstruction of Malta.
"The educational services are not idle," says Jean-Francois Vilotte, Chairman of the Authority. A number of candidates will not obtain approval immediately, because they are incomplete, we need additional information or have been filed later. "
The Official Journal that published earlier in the night his decree, the lucky few can enter. Provided, said Jean-Francois Vilotte, that computer systems (including safes) are operational and that the game software have been certified by the Arjel.
Like its competitors, Philippe Germond, CEO of the PMU is in the starting blocks. "I feel like the boss of a shop where the shelves are ready, as sellers, there is more than the curtain open," says he.The first operator in Europe paris horse wants to be present on the fifteen licensed sports, from football to rugby to tennis, judo and rowing. He filed his May 18 request for approval for paris horse, and sports of poker. A pad 7400 pages!
Among the operators concerned by the decree, we find also the PMU, the French or Unibet Games, Beturf, BES SAS.
The competition will be difficult. All applicants expect a rapid concentration of the market. Philippe Germond table 4-5 major groups in Paris and a little more sport in poker. Starting from zero, Barrierepoker is 20-25% market share within five years. Marc Simoncini, 20% shareholder Winamax, a site 100% poker is more ambitious. "We want to stay in the top three poker sites in France, says he.I am convinced that those who succeed are the pure poker players. "
Setback to illegal sites
The success of the liberalization of gambling will depend on the state capacity to fight against the multitude of sites which remain outside the law by not asking for approval to the Arjel. They are 25,000 in the world, including 20% in French. On Thursday, the European justice has inflicted another blow. Two licensed operators in the UK, Ladbrokes and Betfair, invoked the freedom to provide services in the European Union to assert their license with the United Kingdom, they could market their offers in the Netherlands. The Justice has confirmed that it was legitimate for a country to ban them, to combat fraud and protect consumers.