According to reports from several French media outlets, the upcoming online casino legislation has now been postponed, with a public consultation meeting between the French government and French gambling operators scheduled for next week.
Just a week after the French government announced plans to regulate its online casino market by 2025, multiple media outlets reported statements made on the radio this Sunday by the Minister of Budget and Public Accounts—stating that the plan has been delayed. Minister Laurent Saint-Martin announced this news on Radio J this weekend, noting that more work is needed on the legislative front.
However, Gambling Insider has learned that the public consultation meeting between the government and industry stakeholders (including major local operators within the country) will take place next week.
It is noteworthy that currently, France and Cyprus are the only EU countries that do not allow the operation of online casinos.
Looking back, France's regulation of online casinos has been brewing for some time, with the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) calling for regulation of its market as early as December 2023. This statement was made following a study that found the total revenue from the black market gambling to be as high as 1.5 billion euros (1.6 billion USD) annually.
Last week, details of the proposed regulatory framework were revealed—one key element being a suggested tax rate of 55.6%. However, physical casinos have expressed concerns about this proposal.
As the government seeks to buy more time to finalize this decision, it appears to be considering the opinions of major gambling operators and taxpayers before taking further action.
