Zona de Azar France – France Intends to Legalize Online Casinos in 2025

France.- October 24, 2024 www.zonadeazar.com Currently, France allows online betting but not online casino games. Along with Cyprus, it is the only EU member state that currently does not permit this type of gaming.

This change is part of the 2025 budget proposal in France. The government likely expects that legalizing online casino games will help improve the country’s finances through tax revenue.

France proposes a 55.6% tax on online casino revenue

The proposal is that online casino games be taxed at 55.6% of their revenue.

In addition to generating tax revenue, the French government argued that the measure would also help tackle illegal gambling, which is largely responsible for creating problematic gambling habits. Consequently, this would help reduce the public health issues caused by illegal gaming.

In December, the European Gaming and Betting Association (EGBA) called on France to regulate online casinos, citing a study that concluded the illegal gambling market’s gross revenue could represent up to €1.5 billion per year.

However, not everyone supports the measure, with land-based casinos emphasizing their opposition due to the potential impact on revenue and jobs in the sector.

The president of the Casinos de France Union, Grégory Rabuel, said: “According to our calculations, the opening of online casinos will result in a drop in the gross revenue of physical establishments.”

“We estimate the loss will be around 20 to 30%. As for closures, we expect that about 30% of establishments will no longer be able to operate,” he added.

Regarding the issue of online casinos, Isabelle Falque-Pierrotin, president of the National Gaming Authority (ANJ), addressed the proposal at the Huddle event.

Edited by: @_fonta www.zonadeazar.com