French govt still making up data to block Betfair

Yesterday, the French Senate decided to adopt the bill aiming to "open market competition for gambling online." But sadly, their citizens will still be ripped off by limited competition, high margins and poor options.

Read the translated article from sospronostics.com

Sports betting, live betting, poker and betting on horse racing was approved (no detail whether fixed-odds racing was given the nod).

Exchange and spread betting remain prohibited, "because of the risk of money laundering and ease of addiction worse than this may cause."

There is nothing like dealing with an authority which makes up its own data, and then buries its head in the sand when proven otherwise. Every online transaction can be traced to IP addresses, bank accounts, counterparties etc - exactly how does that compare with cash transactions in PMU outlets and land casinos. Just look at the record of Australian casinos for a history of money laundering, and without a doubt that happens in every other casino in the world which allows cash..

Betfair will challenge this in Brussels at the ECJ, they will win the case, and the French government will stick their nose up at it, pfaff around and take years to rectify it, unless the EU gains the power to impose sanctions against them to comply. Don't hold your breath....

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