France Puts End to Sports Betting Monopoly

The French government has ended the monopoly of bookmakers in the country. Sports betting fans in France will benefit after the European Union threatened action, accusing them of not offering a fair choice to gamblers. Before the changes there were only two companies in the country responsible for sports betting, they are Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU), which covered horse racing and Francais de Jeux, who were responsible for all other betting. 

This situation led to limited choice for French gamblers and offered little opportunity for gambling companies in other European countries to tap into the French market. The investigation started way back in 2006 based on the fact that there was no choice available for punters, which was both unfair and unsatisfactory. 

The French Government has now been forced to open their market up to competition and offering licences to companies throughout Europe. This should provide many companies, especially those based in Malta, to apply for a share of the market. The EU commission accepted assertions that legislation was necessary to curb money laundering and criminal activities, but the current French situation was too restrictive. 

Many bookmakers and gambling companies have long argued for uniformity throughout the European Union and that legislation in certain EU counties should be opened up to competition. It is hoped that the changes in French law will lead to others countries looking at their legislation too. The Commission is currently investigating similar situations in Denmark, Finland, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands and Sweden.