According to French press reports, President Nicolas Sarkozy will announce in the coming weeks that France is set to adopt regulations and a legislative framework to enable online betting operators to offer their services in the country.However, no official comment or confirmation of the story was available from the European Commission. The rumours are likely to have come about further to a recent meeting a French government delegation was due to have with European Commission representatives to set out a timetable for legislation of online gaming in France.
The new rules would also be relevant for online casinos and Patrick Partouche, head of the Partouche casino group, welcomed the news. Partouche added that the legislation could take some time to be enacted, with delaying tactics adopted by the French Ministry of Finance which will be responsible for the brief, under pressure from French monopoly Francaise des Jeux.