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Online Casino in France

France Casinos - Flag of France

There are many versions about the appearance of the first gamble and most sources agree that the first game, namely the wheel with a ball, appeared in France. According to official figures, gambling originated in the country in the 8th century. In 1500, another deck of cards received new images. The newest history of gambling began with the invention of roulette, which is present in every gaming hall today. Gambling spread across all regions and even went beyond France during the reign of Louis 13th and Louis 14th. Games became very popular and attracted more noble families to this activity.

In the same period, the first scammers appeared in France who wanted to get as much money as possible. All these schemes were accompanied by great scandals among rich and ordinary gamblers. In the following centuries, gambling was allowed and again legalized in France. The new kings and governments banned operators about 30 times, but soon these laws were repealed because the people of France had a passion for bets and casinos.

Slot machines became legal only in mid-1988. 12 months before the adoption of the fateful law, another event occurred in France that caused a positive reaction from the public – the minimum gambling age was reduced to 18 years. In France, gaming activities became licensed in the spring of 2010 after the European Commission took some measures since 2005.

All clubs, operators, and slot machines are managed by the ARJEL (The French Gambling Authority) commission. Online platforms and online bets are tracked by CNIL and CSA. France received its first positive results in 2010 during the World Cup when virtual gambling brought a great income. That summer, tourists brought to France twice as much money as in the summer of 2009.

As you can see, the French government appreciates gambling and its capabilities. Furthermore, this market has many players and operators who offer many slot machines and generous bonuses. In this review, you will find all the necessary information about the laws and gambling in France.

Most of companies here are the partners of our project. However, it will not affect our choice of what company to review and how to place it on the website. We are absolutely free and unbiased in our reviews and opinions.

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Types of Online Casino in France

Many players who are looking for online casino for betting don’t know where the first such entertainment appeared. The first institution decorated in a traditional European style was opened in Paris in the 17th century. The idea to open a club belonged to the French government and it was very profitable because for several months one casino blocked all the holes in the budget of the country.

It is obvious that online platforms have become very popular in the country because they provide much more advantages. Typically, French operators offer a choice between desktop clients with a downloadable version and instant flash casinos that run in a browser. There are several additional types of resources, let’s look at each of them!

Choosing the first type of casino you will need to download and install a free program on your PC/laptop and create an account. The downloaded program provides access to all the games presented on the casino website. Before starting one of them and making a bet, the participant needs to connect to the Internet. Accordingly, you allow the operator to collect your data and send them to a shared server.

Flash casinos are much faster. We mean that you do not need to spend a lot of time downloading/installing the software in return, you only need to open a browser and enter the name of the French casino. After that, create an account/login and select a game to your taste. It is clear that you need to connect to the Internet and update your browser in advance.

As a rule, all virtual casinos in France operate on the second principle of offering instant play in any browser. However, this kind of casino has disadvantages too. For example, a player would need to download a game each time. How fast the download will depend on the speed of your Internet connection. Furthermore, downloadable games offer improved sound and graphics.

Live games? This is a relatively new form of gambling and you can often see it as a separate part of the popular casino. Nevertheless, in France, platforms dedicated only to games with live dealers are popular. This format as much as possible conveys the atmosphere of a land-based club as it copies the traditional game online. How do live casinos work? Starting the game, the user is transferred to a virtual studio with table games and live croupiers who place bets and determine the winners. Please note, the live platform does offer only board games.

Do you often use a smartphone? Did you know that it helps to win real money especially if you visited a mobile French casino that combines all the advantages above? Therefore, you can play anywhere and run slots in a browser or a mobile app. This means gamblers have a wide range of available online casinos.

Types of Casino Games for French Gamblers

The first game did appear on land but after many years, the developers found a new solution. On the Internet, French players have much more entertainment: from video slots to sports betting and bingo. At the moment, the country receives the largest profit from slot machines that are endowed with cool stories, bonus options, and large payouts. Many experts say that slots are a virtual gambling engine that conquered not only France but also other countries. Therefore, modern studios and developers are trying to release as many of these projects as possible, surprising us again and again.

Regardless of your gaming experience, we highly recommend testing the slots below:

  • Jungle Jim: El Dorado – Microgaming;
  • Vikings Go Wild – Yggdrasil;
  • Scrolls of Ra – iSoftBet;
  • Super Lucky Reels – iSoftBet;
  • A Night in Paris – BetSoft.

Jungle Jim: El Dorado is one of the best Microgaming video slots. The game offers 5 reels and fifteen cells on the playing field. The developers recreated the theme of adventure with the help of advanced animations and beautiful 3D graphics. Among the characters, you will find the Joker that replaces the pictures and the Multiplier Trail option.

Yggdrasil often releases slots based on Scandinavian myths. This time, the development team chose the Vikings and talked about their dangerous campaigns. Vikings Go Wild slot received not only modern visualization, but also several special characters, bonus rounds, and Free Spins.

The modern Scrolls of Ra slot stylized as a classic machine offers to visit Ancient Egypt and find hidden treasures. To recreate the atmosphere of archaeological excavations, the creators of the slot added thematic symbols including Wild and Scatter. Scrolls of Ra Bonus with large payouts are activated quite often.

For those of you who are looking for nostalgia and big payouts, iSoftBet has released a slot called Super Lucky Reels. This is a unique project with 3 main reels and two additional ones for raffle bonuses. To make a combination, you only need to catch three identical pictures on the screen.

Probably every modern gamer knows that the BetSoft company occupies a leading position in the segment of 3D slots. One of the best slots of the company can be considered A Night in Paris game with an interesting plot, funny characters, and an attractive interface.

Roulette has always been considered a symbol of the French people who invented this mechanism. Therefore, you will find this game in all online casinos. Besides, roulette is presented in several variations:

  • American;
  • VIP;
  • Lightning;
  • French;
  • Double-Ball and others.

For fans of the deck of cards, we have good news too. After reading this review, you will find many versions of the legendary poker/blackjack or the newest games like Sic Bo, Pai Gow, Red Dog, and so on. Bluff kings take part in large-scale poker tournaments that are regularly held in France.

On the one hand, French players always have a wide range of games, however, they are represented in a wider variety in other European countries. This trend appeared in the 20th century when the country established a complex licensing process.

Online Gambling Laws and Regulations in France

France sees this business as an opportunity to increase the flow of money to the treasury and the development of tourism because many tourists don’t mind spending/winning money in a casino. Based on these views, France has developed its gambling legislation. It is worth noting that new amendments are introduced regularly and they are not always positive.

Most of the gambling-driven business is regulated by the French Security Code. The remainder is subject to separate laws. The Law on Virtual Platforms is regulated by all operators, slot machines, and so on. Also, The Security Code controls the gaming rooms located on cruise ships flying the French flag as well as clubs located in resort towns. All land-based casinos offer games approved by the Ministry of the Interior. As we have already said, licensing in France is quite strict because the government is worried about the safety of players. Furthermore, the number of games presented at the institution depends entirely on the type of license.

In part, gambling forms are regulated by other French organizations: FDJ and PMU. The latter has been operating since 1930 while FDJ was founded in 1976. Both specialize in gambling but they are distinguished by controlled gambling.

According to the general statement, Pari Mutuel Urbain specializes only in horse racing, while La Française Des Jeux is responsible for all lotteries and some sports bets. By the way, FDJ is a popular sponsor and it leads the titled bicycle team. It also owns a lottery monopoly following Finance Law 1933. Existing French laws prohibit persons under the age of 18 from attending gaming halls and placing bets. They can only participate in charity events.

The CSA and CNIL organizations are following the development of gambling in France too. They mainly specialize in the safety of gamers. All licenses and other documents are issued only by ARJEL which monitors the further fulfilment of requirements by operators. Typically, licenses are issued for a shelf life of no more than 18 years. ARJEL also fights against illegal sites access to which is blocked. French Internet providers who did not block blacklisted resources pay fines of 10 thousand euros.

New provisions are expected to be adopted soon. They should expand the influence of ARJEL organizations, which will lead to the popularization of poker on the Internet. The first such bill allowed French users to play against gamers from other countries.

Over the past few years, eSports have grown in popularity. This type of entertainment is regulated by individual authorities.

Best Deposit Methods for France Gamblers

In each country, payment instruments vary. In one state, residents prefer cash while the popularity of virtual cards and wallets is growing in other regions.

When it comes to France, we see that it uses generally accepted European settlement systems. Thus, deposits and withdrawals are made in casinos only through the most secure services, among which we can select the VISA presented on almost every French site with games. VISA card can be issued in a few minutes at any bank in France.

To use the card in an online casino, a player needs to specify its data first. This information is always securely protected so you have no reason to worry. Of course, this is only possible if you have chosen a reliable French casino. The list of the best platforms for local players is published on our website and this one is constantly expanding.

Thousands of Frenchmen use WebMoney service popular on all continents. First of all, it has become popular thanks to an updated list of currencies as well as fairly fast transactions. To become a WM client, a user needs to visit its website and create an account. In case of misunderstanding, the client can count on the guys from customer support.

Neteller is one of the youngest tools of modern e-commerce. In 2019, it outperformed many experienced competitors and took a leading position in the total number of customers and the number of transactions per day. Neteller works with other services to provide customers with more options. It is worth noting the high transaction speed and reliable security system. Registration in the Neteller system doesn’t take much time. Please note that in the registration form you will need to provide scanned versions of your passport.

The British Skrill also known as Moneybookers used to was intended only for sports betting and slot machines. After several updates, the service has become a full-fledged payment company that sends money to the best French online casinos. Today, Skrill operates in 150+ countries sending fast and secure payments.

So, we can conclude that the financial possibilities of the French are not limited. They can use popular debit cards and the newest web-wallets that comply with all norms and standards.

Accepted Currencies in France

France is a unique country where tourists can use two currencies at the same time: the Euro and the French Pacific franc. But these monetary units have a different direction and area of ​​activity. These are the details we want to find out in this section.

The French national currency was introduced at the end of the 14th century and it was the only banknote in the country until 2002. Since then, France has been part of the European Union and this involves the use of a single currency. However, the French Pacific franc still exists in some overseas territories. At the moment, it is almost not used but at the same time, it has not been cancelled yet.

After the Second World War, this currency didn’t show stability, so it was decided to tie it to the American bucks. After 5 years, the French currency, finally, stabilized. In 2019, the country has a lot of overseas territories where the franc is still used but France itself cannot refuse the euro and it is not going to do that.

This situation is beneficial for gamers based in France since the euro is one of the main currencies of modern online casinos. In addition to this currency, you can use the British pounds but in this case, you will have to convert the currency.

Predictions About the Future of Online Gambling in France

Gaming halls and virtual platforms have become legal in France relatively recently. The legalization of gambling has helped the country strengthen its financial position by attracting many foreign operators. Today, French gambling is a well-coordinated mechanism that distributes money between players, clubs, and regulators.

Recently, a large-scale scandal occurred in France that affected the state tax on activities related to gaming halls. Fortunately, all misunderstandings were quickly resolved by regulators.

Despite the complicated licensing process, many operators are eager to obtain a French license. As a result, the number of virtual portals is regularly increasing, respectively, the annual profit is increasing too.

Offline clubs are located only in resort towns around the Cote d’Azur. In Paris, you won’t find a single gaming hall because the French government does not allow doing business in this city. The nearest gambling city is called Engen. Furthermore, offline gambling is permitted in all major cities, especially if they attract tourists. The Minister of the Interior controls the issuance of licenses and the activities of their holders. The validity of this document does not exceed 18 years.

All these arguments make it possible to make a positive forecast about the future fate of gambling in France. The government has no reason to ban gambling either on land or on the Internet.

Last Updated: Apr 15, 2021

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