SportingBet Stays Out of France’s Online Gambling Market

Submitted by Beth on Sat, 2010-08-14 at 7:00

Sporting Bet While many online casino operators have decided to take the chance and enter France’s online gambling market, there are still quite a few online gambling companies that refuse to follow suit. SportingBet is one of them, stating that France’s new online gambling laws are too strict for any company to turn any profit.

Currently, the company is reconsidering its B2B partnerships with two French newspapers, Le Monde and L’Express, stating that the joint venture may never solidify if profitability cannot be proved. Partnering with French companies has been the primary tactic for other non-French gambling companies but SportingBet feels as though it would be taking a huge hit to its profits if it were to follow suit under the current French guidelines.

SportingBet has the potential to customize its IT system to suit France’s online gambling legislation by the beginning of 2011. However, it will not apply for a license if the French online gambling market does not present a profitable opportunity for the company. While SportingBet claims to understand the reasons behind the steep online gambling taxes and licensing fees, they are concerned that their losses will outweigh their profits.

Other online gambling companies, like UniBet, have also recently defended their choice to stay out of France’s online gambling market. It seems that it will be a rocky road for many companies, but France’s strict laws have yet to deter some of the industry’s biggest names.