French gambling industry regulator ARJEL has set up a committee aimed at improving its gambling laws. Panic has set in after continual declines, especially in sports betting, and has led the regulator to establish a regulatory reform committee. According to eGR, ARJEL board members Laurent Sorbier and Jean-Luc Pain joined by four external consultants will chair it. These will be Philippe Bailly, president and CEO of media consulting agency NPA Conseil; divisional commissioner of the Ministry of the Interior Stéphane Tijardovic; Comptroller of the general council of industry, energy and technology at the Ministry of the Economy Dominique Varenne; and Franck Veysset, head of the national agency of the security of information systems CERTA. The main aim is to examine effective regulation methods and consult with licensed operators to improve sports betting.
A second committee will then look at the best way to take advantage of new technologies such as tablets and mobile phones. Four reports will be submitted to the Ministry of the Budget, Public Accounts and State Reform all looking at expansion. The first concerns poker, the second cash and online skills games, the third a system to monitor individuals online and the final one at security surrounding player funds in the wake of the Full Tilt Poker scandal.
It’s not thought that this is simply one of those consultations that will go away and it’s fully expected these will be put forward to government with the intention that laws will be passed. Rumors have it the deadline of November is there for a reason and it’s fully expected that regulations will be changed by then.
