U.K. blasts France for protectionist stance on gambling
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Britain’s House of Lords called the French government’s actions to protect the state monopoly on gambling and poker “atrocious,” according to a story at pokerpages.com.
The European Union has been putting pressure on France and other member countries with state-run gambling ventures to fall in line with the rest of the EU and do away with protectionist laws on gambling.
According to the story:
Lord James of Blackheath pointed out that the punishment for a French national to place a bet with a British online bookmaker is one year in prison and a Euro 75,000 fine, the same punishment given paedophiles that download child porn. He then asked whether the British government was considering a similar law for French gambling firms operating in the UK to “restore a level playing field.”
On behalf of the ministers, Lord Davies of Oldham pointed out that the playing field would likely be leveled by EC pressure on France to comply with European Union requirements for the free movement of goods and services between member nations.
If there is not movement from the French government, the case could end up in the European Court of Justice.
