French casino gambling companies have joined forces to sue 14 online casino operators for violating the French gambling law by accepting bets from the French people. The three companies, Barriere, Joagroupe and Tranchant ask the Criminal Court in Paris to block licensing for online casino operators for a period of 2 years.

Certain statements in online casino gambling cases by the European Court of Justice indicated that member states of the EU may block Internet gambling operators under special circumstances. The French casino owners want oversees online casino companies to be punished, when they wish to obtain a license when the French gambling market is liberalized, for operating an online casino while the market was still closed. Among the operators in violation, are very well known internet casino groups such as Sportingbet, Bwin and Unibet. The online casinos are expected to argue the indictment against them by saying that the French government had no jurisdiction over the freedom of services, as guaranteed by the EU trade treaty. The French casinos will say that the internet gambling companies disrupted a routine and legitimate system for the liberalization of the gambling market, because they have refused to wait patiently or properly requested a license.

The indictment comes not even 2 weeks after we were able to report that Yves Bot, Advocate-General of the European Court of Justice, stated an opinion against the German online casino ban and said that EU countries must comply with EU legislation.