Good news for French players: the French parliament passed the new gaming law on Tuesday which will legalise online gambling and open the Frech market to international competition.


The law had already passed the Senate in the two-chamber French parliament, and the National Assembly's yes vote on Tuesday means the law is expected to come into effect before the football (soccer) World Cup this summer.

Under the new law, games will be strictly regulated.

Opposition parties were against the law and they complain that lobbyists crossed the line in the buildup to the vote. “We have never examined a bill under such obvious and intense pressure from lobbies expecting a new law to satisfy their financial interests”, Socialist Gaëtan Gorce said to France24.com.

The French online gambling market generated almost 800 million euros in 2008 so there will be many operators wanting a slice of that cake when the licenses are dealt. Thus far only the government-owned PMU and Francaise des Jeux have been served.

Regarding other countries, Denmark have similar plans for their online gambling market.

Source: France24.