Online Casino Rules Criticized By Soccer Club

French soccer club Olympique Lyonnais criticized the national government's failure to follow with European Union regulations regarding online gambling. Because French law still draw a distinction against foreign online casino operators – Lyon, as the team is commonly known, cannot accept sponsorship from gaming operators.

Lyon plays in France's ultimate soccer league and faced world power Real Madrid in a UEFA Champions League match in Spain last Sunday. Lyon managed a 1-1 tie, which advanced it past Madrid on aggregate goals, a stunning upset that team officials say may not be possible if French teams are forced to operate at a competitive disadvantage by betting online rules. Madrid wore shirts bearing the bwin brand, bringing the club a massive flow of cash. Lyon, which had a deal with BetClic, is forbidden to advertise the online casino site until French laws concerning online casino are revised.

There are 3 French online casino companies, Joagroupe, Tranchant, and Barriere, who have joined together to sue at least 14 online casino operators, regarding this issue. The 3 companies have also lodged a request with Paris' Criminal Court to put a block for at least two years against these online casino operators with regards to licensing. Essentially, the 3 companies have asked that these companies will not even be considered for French licensing for the next 2 years.

France is meant to be opening up its online gambling market in order to comply with the European Union regulations regarding free trade within the EU. Although this has not yet taken place, Joagroupe, Tranchant, and Barriere are hoping that the 14 online casino operators that have already allowed French citizens to use their online casinos, will be penalized for doing so. Should the court agree, these companies will not be allowed to request licensing in France once the market opens up.

“Olympique Lyonnais is now faced with the fact that we cannot display our sponsors logo this Wednesday in Madrid, in a country which legally allows this type of publicity, and during a match where the main competitor of BetClic will appear on the shirts of Real Madrid!, Olympique Lyonnais questions the exact motivation for these media-related and financial restrictions which impede the French champions in their search for competitiveness.” statement by the French Soccer Club.

French law will not permit BetClic to sponsor a club or advertise in any way in France until the casino site is licensed. New regulations opening the French gambling market have been in the works, but French lawmakers are resisting calls by EC examiners to amend the rules to allow free competition as required by the European Treaty. As French online casino slowly becomes a reality the online gambling industry is watching with great interest as various scenes unfold.

The partnership deal represents a very large consumer base that could spell a competitive advantage over smaller operations in France. The French Senate Finance Committee's legislation is controversial in so much as the representative gambling groups don’t think that the rules that are coming provide fair, free and open markets for E.U. member states.