The Cour de Cessation, the highest French appeals court, has brought down a ruling that only via preventing crime can the country be justified in its monopoly over sports gambling.

As a partial ruling by the court regarding an agreed review concerning the betting firm for horse racing, Zertuf, based in Malta. Bringing the issue before the court, Paris Mutuel Urbain maintains a monopoly in betting on horse racing.

The highest court in France, according to the Reuters news service, squashed the resolution to outlaw the firm from Malta from providing Internet wagers on French horse racing, by claiming in addition to the European Commission's pressure that the state monopoly in France should be terminated.

On coming to its decision on Wednesday, according to the rulings of the European Union, the Cour de Cassation states that the limitations in competitions, including those arising from gambling restrictions have no justification as a singular or individual right.    

According to the Paris court in its ruling this week, only thwarting fraud or crime perpetrated by gambling firms can such limitations be applied, and that is done by routing such activities through monitored channels.

The action against the online gambling firm in Malta, Zeturf, means that an appeal to the Paris appeals court will rehear the decision. Apparently before the court actually gets to review the case it could take up to twelve months.

Posted on: July 21, 2007

Add This Gambling Article To:
Del.icio.us	Digg	Google	Spurl
Furl	Simpy	Y! MyWeb

Back to July 2007's archive
Back to latest News