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France Is Considering Legalizing Online Casinos

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

October 24, 2024

62%. This is public support for the French authorities’ intentions to legalize online casinos, according to a survey by the French Association of Online Games (AFJEL). Very soon, such legal amendments may become a fact, writes the French publication Le Figaro.

Online casinos in France are prohibited by law. Along with Cyprus, it is the only country in the EU that completely bans online casino games. French authorities only allow sports betting, horse racing, and poker online. The online lottery is also legal in France, although there is only one operator – La Française des Jeux (FDJ).

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However, in 2023, illegal online casinos operating in France generated an impressive 750 million euros in turnover, a sign that legal restrictions are in no way preventing these businesses from thriving from the comfort of tax havens, in which are registered.

Now the government is proposing changes as part of the draft budget for 2025, which would make the activity of online casinos subject to control. The texts were presented over the weekend and considered by French MPs on Monday. If the changes are finally adopted, virtual casino games will be taxed at 55.6% of their turnover.

The government claims that legalizing online casinos will help tackle the presence of illegal sites that often operate from tax havens. This could contribute to limiting the risk to public health,

However, the proposed amendments are not being taken lightly by casino owners, who have come out strongly against the amendment, which will expose their establishments to unwanted competition.

“According to our calculations, the opening of online casinos to competition will lead to a drop in gross gambling revenue of land-based casinos by around 20 to 30% and the closure of 30% of establishments,” said Gregory Rabuel, president of the Casinos de France union. to the French media Les Echos.

THE BUDGETARY POLICY OF FRANCE

Last year, France’s government deficit reached 5.5% of the country’s GDP, significantly exceeding forecasts and breaching the EU’s target of 3%. Late last month, new budget minister Laurent Saint-Martin revealed that this year’s deficit could exceed 6%.

While the government hopes to rein in spending, it is also looking for ways to raise revenue. Part of the country’s current financial problems are related to reduced tax revenues. This is partly because economic growth has recently been driven by exports rather than domestic consumption, resulting in lower VAT revenues.

A review of the revenue side of the 2025 state budget, which calls for 60 billion in new tax revenue, began on Monday, kicking off the most important few weeks of Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s tenure, whose government enjoys fragile support.

In his opening speech, Economy Minister Antoine Armand advocated a budget that would allow the public deficit to be reduced to 5% of GDP in 2025, rejecting any “austerity” while predicting a 0.4% increase in public spending

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Booking Holdings Loses EU Appeal In €1.63 Billion ETraveli Deal Ruling

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 10, 2026

Booking Holdings has lost its challenge to the European Union’s veto of its €1.63 billion acquisition of ETraveli, marking a significant victory for regulators and underscoring the bloc’s tougher stance on large-scale tech and platform deals.

European Court Backs Commission’s Merger Analysis

On Wednesday, Europe’s second-highest court sided with the European Commission, which blocked the deal in 2023 on the grounds that it would have deepened Booking’s market power and made it harder for competitors to challenge its position in online travel services.

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The Luxembourg-based General Court rejected Booking’s claim that the Commission had failed to follow its own merger rules and had applied the wrong legal test. In its ruling, the court said regulators were correct to conclude that acquiring ETraveli, one of Europe’s leading online flight booking platforms, would have reinforced Booking’s already dominant position in online travel agencies tied to hotel bookings.

Why Regulators Stepped In

The case reflects a broader shift in European competition policy. In recent years, the Commission has intensified scrutiny of acquisitions by dominant technology and platform companies, warning that so-called “killer acquisitions” can weaken competition by absorbing smaller but strategically important rivals before they grow into serious threats.

For regulators, the concern was not simply the size of the transaction, but the strategic logic behind it: combining a major hotel booking platform with a leading flight booking operator could have created a more integrated travel ecosystem that rival firms might struggle to match.

What The Deal Would Have Added To Booking’s Portfolio

Booking’s portfolio includes Booking.com, Rentalcars, Priceline and Agoda, giving it broad reach across global travel services. ETraveli, owned by private equity firm CVC Capital Partners, operates brands such as Gotogate and Mytrip and also provides airline content distribution through TripStack.

The combination would have expanded Booking’s ability to offer a wider set of travel products within a single ecosystem, a model that can strengthen customer retention but also raise concerns about market concentration and competitive foreclosure.

Appeal Still Possible

The General Court’s ruling does not necessarily end the matter. Booking can still appeal to the Court of Justice of the European Union, the bloc’s highest court, if it chooses to continue the legal fight.

For now, however, the decision stands as a reminder that in Europe, even large and established platform companies face increasing resistance when acquisitions appear likely to consolidate power rather than expand consumer choice.