Charters Released to Promote French Online Gambling
June 19, 2009
In light of recent announcements that the French government will regulate online gambling to a limited extent in 2010, online media group “Geste”, has released two charters calling for responsible gaming practices to be implemented throughout the industry. Based on results of a study conducted earlier this year, the charters are designed to provide European online gambling operators with an accepted standard to follow, thereby ensuring that the online gambling industry in France is viewed as a socially responsible and legitimate industry in the years to come.
Analysts and regulators will be keeping a close eye on the industry to determine its compliance with regulations and its efficiency in preventing problem and underage gambling.
No country knows that these issues do come up with regulation better than the UK, which passed the UK Gambling Act of 2005 and has since seen an increase in problem gambling and gambling debt. However, studies have shown that this wasn’t because of the internet but rather because the Act also called for an increase in land-based betting destinations, which have proven to be the culprit for gambling related negative impacts since 2005. Overall, the UK has faired well in spite of these setbacks, and has made swift progress in identifying and providing treatment for problem gamblers.
France however, will only open up the online sector of the industry and with this a more accurate determinant on the effects of regulated online wagering will be established.
While many are still opposed to regulations of the online gambling industry in France, many others like Geste, are being proactive in operating standards and measures which ensure that the online sector remains a favourable environment for both consumers and businesses to operate in.
So it would seem that if online casino operators and internet sports betting empires are looking to expand successfully into the French market, they would be prudent to adopt and implement best practice charters similar to those suggested by Geste.
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