Will the French Market Open Up?

France, like most of the European countries, allows gambling through state operated gambling monopolies.  This has been a bone of contention between the government and the big gambling companies and the Compliance Commission of the European Union.  Now there is the possibility that the Sarkozy government may loosen some of the protectionist policies, thus opening the market to more competition.

The French government has been engaged in discussions with the Compliance Commission.  They have already been warned about their policies and told they were not in compliance with the EU’s free trade policies.  The French allow gambling through the state monopoly Francaise des Jeux.  Since any attempt to liberalize the gambling market would weaken Franciase des Jeux, the monopoly is expected to try to delay any pro-competition policies that the government might try to legislate. 

The French have said that they would comply with the EU rules but they have been blocking online casinos and gambling sites.  EU Compliance Commission’s Charlie McCreevy has made it clear that he does not favor the restraint of trade policies practiced by France and other EU members and that some of them may be headed for a battle in the European Court of Justice.  Some of these countries are Greece, Sweden, Germany, Denmark and The Netherlands, in addition to France.

Posted: April 5, 2008

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