The activity of gambling has long been practiced in France, history shows that some of the oldest and most recognizable gambling institutions were established on French soil, long ago. In addition, this country has definitely had a solid contribution to the development of a wide range of newly established casino games. At the moment, there are more than 200 gambling establishments and 20 bingo centers throughout the whole of France, and all gambling-related activities are monitored by the government. Additionally, the Ministry of Interior and Budget Minister oversee and regulate all casino gaming, gambling, sports betting, horse race betting, and lotteries.

More about the French Licensed Casinos

Currently, there are not many French licensed online casinos available on the market, however, as soon as something comes up we will be the first to add it here. However, we explained above that there are high taxes put in place, which ensure that gambling activities are taxed a lot, and this has put off gambling operators from entering the market.

The Great Country of France

France, also known as the French Republic is geographically seated in Western Europe and reaches over several seas and territories. The territory of the country spans from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel, the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean. When it comes down to its borders, France has a lot of neighbors which include countries like Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Monaco, Italy, Spain, and Andorra. Dating back to the years of France’s colonial rule, the country still has several islands and territories overseas, which include French Guinea, and several other islands in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans.
When it comes down to governance, we all know the important part the French Revolution played back in the 1800’s introducing an ideology that benefited the people rather than the Monarchs. Nowadays, France is a semi-presidential republic with a capital city of Paris, which we are sure many of you are aware of, except if you have lived under a rock all of this time. Generally speaking, the country is full of amazing landscapes and various other big cities such as Lyon, Marseille, Toulouse, Lille, and Nice. The population of the country stands at 67 million people, most of whom are Christian, the predominant currency is the Euro.

History of the French Gambling Authority

A wide range of gambling form is permitted on the territory of France, which makes this destination a gambling friendly one. At the moment there are three main regulatory bodies that carry out monitoring functions over the French Gambling industry, these are the Francaise des Jeux, ARJEL, and Pari Mutuel Urbain. Currently, the Francaise des Jeux is responsible for regulating lotteries and sports betting, and ARJEL on the other hand takes care exclusively with online gambling regulations. On the other hand, Pari-Mutuel Urban is mainly focused on horse racing events. The most important one which matters to us is the ARJEL which issues licenses to operators that are ready to provide online casinos and gambling services in a legitimate manner to the French citizens.
At the moment licenses are granted specifically to online casino operators which are happy to run their gambling club on the territory of the country, in compliance with the laws and tax regulation of the country. Licenses are granted by the aforementioned regulatory bodies, for a period lasting five years, but there is an option for extending licenses for the same period of time.

Advantages of Playing at French Licensed Casinos

Back in 2009, it was a good thing to be French casino players as at that time of the year online gambling operators could release on the market gambling activities such as poker, sports betting, pool betting, and live betting, following the introduction of a legislative bill. The introduction of this piece of legislation made it much easier for players to find games and gambling clubs that suited their needs. Prior to the introduction of these laws, French gambling activities were mostly controlled by the Government, which made this an issue that concerned the European Union and their laws regarding the competition. Nevertheless, recent alterations to the gambling laws have kept out traditional casino games out of the offering at online gambling clubs.
With overwhelming pressure coming in from the European Commission the country implemented its largest gambling legislative changes to date in 2010, when they were required to cease their restrictive provisions on gaming laws. A brand new Gambling Act was passed in 2010 which established the French Regulatory Authority opening up the French Market to games such as online poker and bingo. Overall, the laws of the French Gambling Act favor the players quite a lot and make it easy for them to reach a wide range of games and gambling clubs. Additionally, the fact that online gambling is completely legal makes it easier for players to enjoy their time spent at an online casino, without having to worry about anything.

French Licensed Casinos and their Anti-Fraud Policy

Taking into account that the French Regulatory Authority for Online Gambling is relevantly new for the market, but it undoubtedly ended the reign of Government ran gambling monopolies. However, there is one issue that worries us, and that is that setting up illegal online gambling clubs and operating them is not considered a crime.
This fact is dangerous taking into account that many players who cannot reach the newly restricted traditional games and wish to do so, might choose to attend an illegal casino in order to do so. Overall, the ARJEL and the Gambling Act both use the law to their advantage when it comes to protecting consumers of the gambling market, as that is the main designation of the legislature, but it is also part of the commission’s job to issue licenses to online casinos which take user protection very seriously.

France and Its Approach to Online Casinos

Having said that French Online Gambling Market is easily accessed, that is no lie, but there are very high taxes imposed on gambling operators which put doubt on many gambling operators who wish to access the market. Additionally, the Gambling Act introduced in France has put many traditional casino games such as slots and video slots off the table, and this has posed as a big challenge to many providers as some rely solely on these types of games.
Additionally, the gambling legislation put in place over the past couple of years has made it easier for casino providers to issue poker games, but harder on ones that offer conventional games, and this has made the French market for online casinos quite one-sided.

French Licensed Casinos place great care on Player’s Protection

In 2010 the newly introduced French Gambling Act established not only new gaming rules but also the even newer Regulatory Authority which is the ARJEL, they are in charge of issuing licenses and monitoring which gambling clubs abide by the law. One of the main concerns of this Regulatory body is that player’s data is always kept safe and secure at any legally licensed French Casino they might attend.
Additionally, the Gambling Act, ensures that all of the players attending online casinos licensed on the territory of France are completely protected. However, one malfunction in the French Gambling Act is the fact that illegal gambling clubs are not punished, and therefore players will not be well protected under the law if they attend one.

French Gambling Authority Contact Details

Website: http://www.arjel.fr/-Liste-des-operateurs-agrees-.html
E-Mail: contact [at] arjel.fr
E-mail for Complaints:dgoj.incidencias@hacienda.gob.es
Jurisdiction: France
Type: Local
Founded: 2010
Address: Autorité de Régulation des Jeux En Ligne, 99-101 rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris
Phone: +33 1 57 13 13 00