France’s parliament has passed a bill to end a state monopoly on online gambling and allow privately owned websites to offer bets on poker, football and horse racing.

According to a report filed by Reuters, the bill was passed by a parliamentary majority of 299 votes to 223. It is expected to be in effect by the World Cup in South Africa starting in June. It added that the bill forces operators to seek a permit from a regulator whose role is to check that games meet regulations, hunt down misdemeanours and combat addiction. It also forbids minors from taking part in luck-based games and strengthens measures against illegal websites.

“This text will allow us to progressively dry up the black market in online gambling by creating a legal offer which obeys the rules,” Budget Minister Francois Baroin reportedly said. 

The state will take tax of 7.5% on players’ bets on sports games and horse racing and 2% for poker bets.

According to egrmagazine.com, the bill  remains only to be approved by the European Union and France’s Conseil d'Etat (Supreme Court) and Conseil Constitutionnel (Constitutional Council).

Companies are already hoping to take advantage of the opening up of the market. For instance, PartyGaming is hoping to take advantage of the newly regulated online gambling market opening up in France by signing a deal with Pari Mutuel Urbain to provide poker to the French horse racing betting group. In another development, French broadcaster M6-Metropole Television and French sports betting and online gambling group Mangas Gaming have signed a strategic partnership for online poker and sports betting in France.