French Online Gaming Regulatory Authority

Autorité de régulation des jeux en ligne (the Online Gaming Regulatory Authority) was founded in 2010. The organization's competence is the regulation of online operators and licensing Internet institutions. The Ministry of Internal Affairs of France deals with licensing offline casinos. In general, the situation in the gambling sphere in the state's territory is rather ambiguous. On the one hand, it is within the framework of regulation, on the other several organizations control and issue licenses, and this complicates the licensing procedure. It is also worth noting that not all types of gambling entertainment are available online.

Regulator licensed casinos

No more than ten operators officially worked in France in 2019: Bwin, Betclic, Pokerstars, and others. These companies offer to bet on sports events or play poker online.

Autorité de régulation des jeux en ligne review

Until 2010, online gambling was banned in France.

The impetus for changes in this market was the European Commission's investigation, which occurred in 2005. The Casinoz team clarifies that since France is part of the European Union, the legislation must comply with EU standards and not infringe on the interests of other members (companies) of the Union.

In 2007, the Commission, having carried out an analysis of the gambling market, urged France to amend the existing legislation.

Two years later, in 2009, the government submitted a draft of a new law on gambling.

And on May 12, 2010, this normative act entered into force.

Due to the changed legislation, the French gambling market has become more open to third-party companies wishing to organize gambling on the territory of the state, including the Internet space.

But this is not all innovation. Simultaneously with the new law, the organization Autorité de régulation des jeux en ligne (the Regulatory body for Online Gaming) appeared, and it became responsible for licensing Internet gambling operators.

However, changes in the industry have not fully opened up the gambling market in France from the point of view of operators and players themselves. The Republic legalized only the following types of gambling via the Internet: betting on horses, sports betting, and poker. And this is a rather strange decision. Online casinos with pokie machines are prohibited in the country. By the way, the placement of pokies in gaming halls became legalized not so long ago. The government justifies the ban on video slots due to their great ability to cause gambling addiction.

Autorité de régulation des jeux en ligne (ARJEL) carries out a number of activities aimed at combating the consequences of gambling addiction. The regulator's official website provides information and contacts for anonymous assistance to players, as well as links to relevant sites. ARJEL obliges licensed operators to inform players about self-exclusion and methods of obtaining assistance.

Controller functions:

• issue permits and ensure operators comply with operating principles
• protection of vulnerable groups
• ensure the safety and integrity of the gameplay
• fight against illegal websites
• combating fraud and money laundering

Organizational structure:

• No more than seven principal members, chaired by the President
• The Sanctions Committee is composed of 6 justices of the peace
• Specialized commissions, if any.

The terrestrial sphere of gambling entertainment is licensed and regulated by the Ministry of the interior of France.

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License types of Autorité de régulation des jeux en ligne

Depending on the type of activity of the company wishing to obtain a gambling license, it is necessary to apply for a certain type of license:

• Les paris hippiques – license for the possibility of organizing betting on horse racing. 
• Les paris sportifs – sports betting license
• les jeux de cercle – poker license

Regulation in the terrestrial sphere of these types of gambling is the responsibility of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Regulation of the Internet is the organization ARJEL.

The online gambling license is valid for five years.

Also, companies applying for licensing must undergo the certification of gaming equipment in accordance with certain technical requirements. In some cases, this causes difficulties, for example, if a company wants to open a poker room developed by Microgaming, in this case, in fact, the technical certification must pass the company Microgaming, which acts as the developer of the solution.

• Bingo is licensed by the game format of Bingo.
• Loterie – different types of lotteries are licensed.

Licenses for Bingo and Lotteries are issued by the Ministry of the Interior with the assistance of the Ministry of Economy, Finance, and Budget of France, regardless of the method of providing access (online and offline) to the games. Note that the state completely monopolizes the national lottery and is managed by La Francaise des Jeux. Also, this organization participates in licensing companies applying to organize the lottery. Recently, a proposal was made to privatize the company.

Gambling licenses for online casinos offering access to video pokies (pokies) are not issued because gambling entertainment is prohibited. Pokie machines in land-based casinos are allowed to be installed only on the condition of access to any table game (roulette, poker, blackjack, etc.).)

Gambling taxation in France depends on the club's income. Monthly contributions range from 10 to 70%. In addition, there are indirect taxes; for example, in online poker, 0.2% of social contributions from each bet must be paid.

Dispute resolution

France's online gaming regulator does not handle player complaints about online operators. Customers of gambling clubs will have to resolve disputes independently, using the country's legislation, for example, apply to civil courts or the Department of Consumer Protection.

Conclusion

The gambling regulator in France (Autorité de régulation des jeux en ligne), according to Casinoz, does not fully perform its duties. Of course, its creation entailed the legalization and development of the Internet gambling industry in the Republic, but not to the full extent (online video pokies are prohibited). It is also unclear why, with all the legal resources to license and regulate the work of operators, the regulator does not work with players' complaints because it makes gambling more transparent and honest. Perhaps a clear separation of online and offline licensing is a good solution (the Ministry of Internal Affairs regulates land-based casinos), but in this case, implementing this principle is not quite successful.