15-11-2007 Stanleybet urges the European Union to reject France's offer

The UK betting firm told Reuters the French offer to open up its pool-betting market while keeping its fixed-odds market closed was inadequate.

"I don't believe for a minute Commissioner McCreevy will accept such a situation whereby 'we give up that if you leave us alone'," John Whittaker, MD of Stanleybet International, told Reuters. "If McCreevy did that, it would be like throwing out the baby with the bathwater."