France Releases Second List
When the first list of licensees was released by ARJEL, the French regulatory authority had indicated that the processing of other applications was in progress and further licenses would be awarded. The second list has now been released It is a much smaller list that has nine licenses issued to five online gaming operators.
The second list has two of the biggest names in online gambling. PokerStars is arguably the largest online poker network in the world. It has received a poker license through Reel Malta Limited. The other big name is PartyGaming. It is the only operator in the second list to have received multiple licenses. Its well established brands PartyPoker and PartyBets will offer online poker and sports betting respectively. In addition Gamebookers will offer sports betting and ActPoker will offer online poker. The most watched brand however will be LuckyJeux that will offer a French poker network. LuckyJeux has been formed in partnership with PMU, France’s largest pari-mutuel horse racing company, AB Groupe, a leading TV broadcaster, and Aviation Club de France, one of France’s oldest and most prestigious land casinos. This new network will benefit from pooled poker player liquidity of the flagship brand PartyPoker.
The other three licensees are FriendBet for sports betting, ChiliPoker for poker and Partouche for poker. All sports betting operators can go live immediately. The FIFA World Cup has just entered the knock out stage and betting is heating up. Online poker operations were kept on hold by ARJEL following objections from Malta. These were to be resolved by the end of June. There are only two days left and the poker licensees are eagerly awaiting an announcement.
