ARJEL aims to streamline relicensing process
French regulatory body drafts amendments to simplify reapplication procedures for operators ahead of 2015 relicensing
French regulator l’Autorité de regulation des jeux en ligne (ARJEL) is preparing to streamline its relicensing procedures next year to make the process less burdensome for the first wave of operators whose licences are due to expire next summer.
ARJEL has drafted amendments to documents previously submitted to operators earlier this year which contained specifications all licensed operators would be subjected to in the renewal application in 2015.
However, should the amendments be approved by the College, ARJEL will simplify the application process as well as significantly reduce the amount of paperwork by limiting the information required to the period between ARJEL’s last annual audit to the present.
The French online gambling market opened to competition from foreign operators in May 2010 and the original five-year licences are set to expire for some operators as early as next summer.
Notable egaming brands currently operating in France include bwin.party, Unibet, Betclic Everest Group, Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU), PKR, Winamax and PokerStars.