The first working group will meet on Tuesday with a focus on problem gambling measures.

France.- Working groups addressing the proposed regulation of online casino in France will start proceedings on Tuesday. The groups were announced as part of a six-month consultation process after the government postponed plans to regulate the vertical following concerns from the land-based casino sector.

The first working group will by led by the Ministry of Health and will meet on Tuesday December 2 to address the issue of gambling addiction and problem gambling measures. Subsequent groups will focus on consumer protections and the contentious issue of the possible economic impact on land-based casinos.

The various ministries involved are reported to have different stances on the issue. The Ministry of Health concerned about the public health impact, while the Budget Ministry is keen to bring in more revenue to reduce France’s debt and budget deficit. The opinion of the Ministry of the Interior will also hold weight as it oversees land-based casinos.

France legalised online sports betting and poker in 2010 but online casinos remain prohibited. The government had announced plans to open a competitive regulated casino market in 2025 but backtracked after criticism from local authorities and land-based casino operators. Casinos de France, which represents land-based venues, has called for period of exclusivity for “digital mirrors” of land-based offerings. It argues that allowing free competition would result in a repeat of the sports betting market, where three brands control 80 per cent of the sector.

CDF’s stance has been backed by local mayors as well as the horse racing sector, which also fears that regulated online casino gambling could impact its business. More surprisingly, Française des Jeux, which now owns the Swedish online gambling operator Kindred and would be likely to have a strong position in a regulated casino market, has also expressed concerns, warning that online casino games can be more addictive. However, FDJ is likely to fear that online casino could erode its lottery and sports betting business.

The online gambling operator trade body AFJEL continues to warn about the scale of the unlicensed online casino market. It has also said that it would be open to the idea of creating a compensation fund to be distributed to France’s communes, but both mayors and land-based casino operators have raised doubts about the feasibility of such a move.

The first three months of the consultation period on online casino regulation will focus on whether the regulation of online casino in France should happen at all. The following three months will focus on what form regulation should take if it does go ahead.

Meanwhile, France’s gambling regulator, the ANJ, has said that it is planning to study other countries’ online casino markets to assess how they have impacted the economy and public health. Senators have approved a general rise in gambling tax in France. However, there is also a risk a vote of confidence in prime minister Michel Barnier’s government following the rejection of the 2025 budget could scupper plans to regulate online casino completely.