Gaming law in France began with the criteria for opening a casino in 1907, a law that has since had several additions and amendments. In 1988 one such amendment was to permit several large towns to have casinos in a country where previously they were only sited in resorts by the sea or spa towns. François André, uncle of Lucien Barrière and founder of the Group that bears his nephew’s name, turned Deauville into the first modern seaside resort after the First World War by combining casinos and luxury hotels.

French casinos are major employers in areas where other jobs are scarce, providing an economic boost for those regions. The casinos are required to contribute to the cultural and sporting activities of the community and to host shows and events for all sectors of the population. In 1987 the previous ban on automatic gambling machines was relaxed and slot machines were permitted within the confines of a casino. Since then the image of French casinos as the playground of the wealthy has changed to a friendlier and more popular entertainment venue.

At present there are 163 casinos in France and many are members of the organization Casinos de France. This is a body set up not only to defend its members’ interests but also to provide a code of ethics for operators, including social responsibility on problem gambling. There are ten rules in the Code of Ethics, aimed at maintaining France’s position of having casinos as quality social venues and not gaming warehouses with huge banks of slot machines.

The code covers helping compulsive players combat their addiction, advertising standards, preserving the identity of the casino and guaranteeing the integrity of the games, ensuring the safety of guests and employees, the implementation of training procedures, the promotion of gaming development in the area of new games, protecting player anonymity but identifying clients playing €1500 or more as required by law, and the promotion of tourism. The tenth rule is the sanctioning of any member for non-adherence to any section of the Code.

Today is a holiday in France with parades and activities commemorating Bastille Day. The casinos will be making sure their clients can celebrate in style. (E-07.14.05)

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