28-09-2007 French Budget Ministry favorable to ending the PMU and FdJ internet gambling monopolies

Eric Woerth, who is due to meet with EU officials some time in October, said he was not hostile to the opening of the French online betting market if done in a controlled way.

The Budget Minister insisted that France would not accept just any operator, but rather require interested companies to open local branches and to pay taxes like the horseracing betting monopoly PMU.

In related news, hotel and casino operator Lucien Barriere announced a plan to launch an online gambling site within the first quarter of 2008.