PokerStars and PartyGaming Awarded with French Licenses

PartyGaming and PokerStar poker rooms were amongst the winners who were provided with license to run online poker-rooms in France. These two poker giants were a part of 2^nd round of license awarded, subsequent to the license given to poker rooms including Bwin and Everest Gaming earlier in the month of April . In the second round, the licenses were awarded to Partouche poker and Chilipoker. ‘PartyGaming’ was also provided with a ‘license’ for only ‘sports betting’, which is the only firm in the most recent round of ‘licensing’ to be awarded with that ‘right’.

These ‘licenses’ are quite helpful for online poker groups and have been regulated because of legislations passed by the ‘French parliament’ this way. In the past, the gambling market has been immensely controlled by the French government, but bill signed into a law in recent times and passed-by the healthy 299, 223 opened up online poker industry in France to several private firms. The corroboration of private online poker practices is observed as a great move to impede black market gambling by offering a legal, safe alternative for the citizens of France. Moreover, this step of French parliament will also create widespread tax revenues for France. According to this bill, poker is taxed at the rate of 2% while ‘sports betting’ is taxed at the rate of 7.5 percent.

PartyGaming, which has all of party branded attributes such as ‘PartyPoker’, has been particularly on the go in setting up itself to the fore of opening of French gambling marketplace. Before acquiring the license, Party Gaming poker room had already launched a long term deal with Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU), a state controlled betting program in France that earlier dealt in horse-racing. The step was taken to aid jumpstart PartyGaming’s doorway into the recently regular gambling market, and permit PMU to extend their services right away.

However, not all firms are grabbing this opportunity of entering French gambling market. In reality, the rule has led some firms such as Betfair and William Hill to leave the marketplace rather than competing with the influx of new companies.

The new poker bill has its critics and the government has taken steps to alleviate their issues. In recent times, a plan was setup that will allow the players to apply for 3-year forbidding from all casinos or poker room, both online and live. Once this ban is set up, it cannot be eliminated until the 3-year duration is up.