French players banned from pokerstars.com

[OzExorcist]

I didn't keep up with it at the time - did they do the same to Italian players when they changed their laws?

 

[woody19]

it so good to be english are laws are so tame compared to other countries

 

[Jagsti]

Elky lives in London afaik

 

[BelgoSuisse]

Elky lives in London afaik

obviously. All the professional French players live abroad.

 

[bazerk]

I'm sorry to read this BelgoSuisse, I guess the petition that we signed a while back was to no avail?

 

[BelgoSuisse]

I'm sorry to read this BelgoSuisse, I guess the petition that we signed a while back was to no avail?

Well, there were two million people in the streets of france yesterday to protest the new retirement laws and most likely it won't change the government's decisions, so no, an internet petition wasn't enough to save online poker.

Surprisingly enough, all the French companies that applied for a licence got it already, while most of the foreign operators who applied for one haven't had the answer yet. This thing is so rigged it's ridiculous.

For those of you who undestand French, have a laugh here:

http://onvateplumer.com

http://tuvastoutperdre.com

http://megacotesbidons.com

those are 3 fake websites made by the new French online gambling commission ARJEL in order to convince French players to play on regulated sites. I very much hope that legitimate gaming authorities like Malta's LGA or Alderney's GCC bring them to court for libel.

 

[regd87]

wow, what a drag.

 

[Zorba]

What a shame, there go's most of the easy money.

 

[beardyian]

Elky lives in London afaik

He is listed as doing so on the wsop results service

 

[BelgoSuisse]

What a shame, there go's most of the easy money.

Meh, France is only the 4th most fish country in absolute terms according to http://www.pokertableratings.com/top-countries . USA, canada and germany bring more money to the poker economy than France does.

 

[BelgoSuisse]

FTP is following pokerstars's example. Since 14:00 CET today you can't make a FIRST deposit at FTP anymore if you're from France, and the reason for it is that FTP has applied for a French licence.

 

[coolnout]

FTP is following Pokerstars's example. Since 14:00 CET today you can't make a FIRST deposit at FTP anymore if you're from France, and the reason for it is that FTP has applied for a French licence.

yap FTPDoug:Today's update only affects new French players, that part is true. It's not really a ban, though. New French players can still sign up and play with play money or in freerolls, they just can't play with real money for now.

 

[LuckyChippy]

yap FTPDoug:Today's update only affects new French players, that part is true. It's not really a ban, though. New French players can still sign up and play with play money or in freerolls, they just can't play with real money for now.

Thank God play money is still available...

This sucks so bad and imo is really unfair on every level. From the PTR link posted it's a significant amount of money and players gone from the pool.

**** the French Government, they've never been good for anything.

 

[WVHillbilly]

FTP is following Pokerstars's example. Since 14:00 CET today you can't make a FIRST deposit at FTP anymore if you're from France, and the reason for it is that FTP has applied for a French licence.

If they are applying I'm surprised they aren't going the route of Stars and disallowing all French play even from existing customers.

Really sucks.

 

[dexon303]

Vincent Cassel and Monica Bellucci are very disappointed because of this ban and protest.Vincent fell into a depression and said that if it does not withdraw the ban it will eat up the leg to his wife.

 

[dwbrown7680]

This definitely sucks for French players and will still have a decent effect on the rest of the world as well. French players made up a good enough portion of the player base that guarantees and what not should drop by a little on FTP and Stars now, which sucks even more.

 

[itlegacy]

Makes me all the more pleased that we'll have live poker just 20 minutes away from home this summer (just over the border in WV). In today's poor economy, worldwide, countries are looking for any opportunity to refill their coffers it would seem.

 

[WVHillbilly]

Makes me all the more pleased that we'll have live poker just 20 minutes away from home this summer (just over the border in WV). In today's poor economy, worldwide, countries are looking for any opportunity to refill their coffers it would seem.

Where are you in VA? I'm about 25 minutes from Charlestown.

 

[fortuna]

He is listed as doing so on the WSOP results service

Why is that?
He's no UK national, he just simply live there, right?

 

[davem86]

Elky is a citizen of the EU and can legally reside anywhere in it to forego the French Law,,,,,,maybe they are pissed about their football team.

ugh

So tilt is next?

 

[kmixer]

The bill that has been introduced for California players is almost identical. If passed California players will be forced to play at CA only sites. if they play anywhere else it is considered a felony. New Jersey is also trying to pass online gamling laws but they want to make it so that people in the State of NJ can play on any site they choose. After all we are free aren't we?

Yeah, they "opened" the online poker and sports betting market, which means they close access to international rooms, restrict French players to french rooms only (like Italy does) and apply an extra rake as tax: 2% capped at €1 for cash games, and apparently there's no "no flop no drop" rule in the law, but hopefully there will be one in the decrees that are still to be published. Anyway, a €1 cap on top of the room rake means HU and short-handed play will be unbeatable at small stakes and there will be no traffic anyway at mid-stakes and higher. RIP French poker, IMO.

 

[S93]

Meh, France is only the 4th fishiest country in absolute terms according to http://www.pokertableratings.com/top-countries . USA, Canada and Germany bring more money to the poker economy than France does.

Iceland in the top 10!

Also nice to see the Vatican going strong in 18th place...

 

[S93]

Why is that?
He's no UK national, he just simply live there, right?

Tax reasons.
Poker winnings are not taxable in the UK but they are in France.
Hence he lives and "pays" taxes in the UK.

 

[BelgoSuisse]

Also nice to see the Vatican going strong in 18th place...

you can pretty much put any address you want in FTP's cashier when you cashin and out using an e-wallet like neteller or moneybooker. So it's pretty likely that those people from Vatican are not really from Vatican.

 

[BelgoSuisse]

The bill that has been introduced for California players is almost identical. If passed California players will be forced to play at CA only sites. if they play anywhere else it is considered a felony.

In France it's not a felony for the players. Only for the poker room.