French Online Gambling Monopolies in the Spotlight

The French involvement in the arrest of Unibet Group PLC chief executive Petter Nylander makes for an awkward affair in the online gambling industry. Actually, those in the know say that the arrest of Nylander was not something that they really wanted but yet, the arrest was made, putting the French in an embarrassing position.

Nylander was arrested at the Schiphol airport in Amsterdam for violating French online betting laws after a lawsuit made by the French online gambling monopolies, Francaise des Jeux and PMU.

Formerly, Unibet CEO was given an invitation made by French authorities to come in for an interview which he refused. Indeed, we agree that French could have been considered this a disrespectful treatment, however the publicity that followed his arrest was not in the advantage of the French authorities.

And perhaps they understood the embarrassing situation they were facing when Nylander was allowed to be released from custody on €200,000 bail. But now, the online gambling industry wants to hear his side of the story as he for sure will strike back.

Petter Nylander commented after his arrest that he never strain away from the law. And according to European Commission regulation he did abide the law but these regulations oppose French state monopolies on gambling laws. However, Nylander's gaming business is in place under the EU's free internal market rules.

He also gave a statement in which he expressed his opinion on the online gambling industry: "It is Unibet's strong conviction that the French user should have an option concerning online betting and gaming, with specific regulation."

In the online gambling industry Nylander is not the only one who opposes French online gambling monopolies laws. Brussels is also after the French, pressing them to adjust their gambling laws, which the French seem to accept as an expected result, although they delayed the course of action as long as they can. Now, with the awkward arrest French moved back on the spotlight even at a sensitive time before the European Court of Justice forces them to reform their policy.