888 Leaves France

This story was published more than 11 years ago.

Internet gambling heavyweight 888 has announced that it is leaving the French gaming market by giving up its gaming license, giving the European country just 22 gaming companies holding 33 licenses.

888's departure is the latest in a string of gaming operators who are finding the French market to be taxed too heavily. Fellow gaming operators Sofun Gaming and Ad Astra also left the market earlier this week.

ARLJEL's Chief Jean-Francois Villotte has announced that he plans to lobby the government to express the concerns that operators have brought up, but noted that taxation and other issues are strictly in the hands of politicians.

Since the introduction of higher taxes in France, internet poker revenues have dropped 5%. Growth is also stagnant, as companies are reluctant to invest in a country that has such a steep tax rate.

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About the author

Dustin Jermalowicz // News Editor
Dustin Jermalowicz
Dustin has a long-standing passion for gambling. He has been writing professionally on the subject and breaking industry news for Casino Listings since 2011. His favorite casino games include Blackjack, Poker, and Hi/Lo. A proud native of Detroit, Dustin currently lives in Michigan.