For several years, casino operators in France have been concerned about the preferential treatment reserved for Française des Jeux (FDJ) by the National Gaming Authority. In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, signed by the Fédération Casinos de France, the Association of French Independent Casinos, as well as renowned companies such as the Partouche, Barrière and Tranchant groups, the players denounce “major distortions of competition ".
Operators highlight various points of friction, such as "access without ID, the ease of offering new games, the absence of control at points of sale unlike casinos" and the use of same FDJ customer account for monopoly games and competitive games.
They also criticize the “aggressive expansion policy of the FDJ” through successive acquisitions of companies present in competitive markets, which, according to them, “only increases the risk of cross-subsidies by the FDJ”. The letter also raises concerns regarding a possible plan to open online casinos under a new FDJ monopoly, a prospect described as “a new violation of the principles of the supervision of online gaming and the balance of the sectors”.
The operators claim to be best placed to manage such activity, guaranteeing “gambling is prohibited for minors” and effectively protecting players against the risk of addiction. They underline the economic importance of casinos in France, generating more revenue each year for the State and communities than the Gafa tax.
The players therefore ask to meet the Prime Minister to discuss their concerns and highlight the need to fight against illegal offers, considered essential to mitigate the damage suffered by the casino industry.
The Casinos de France union and the Association of French Independent Casinos propose several avenues of support for the casino sector, in particular the updating of tax scales according to inflation and the harmonization of constraints between the different sectors.
In response, the FDJ declares that it gives “priority to the prevention of excessive gambling and underage gambling”. She recalls that its monopoly activities were confirmed by the national representation in 2019 and the Pacte law, rejecting the idea of a “new monopoly” in terms of online casinos as being “devoid of any basis”.
