Fixed odds gets foot in door in France.

Rob, I repeat that this thread is about France, an existing Tote monopoly with no culture of fixed odds betting. I am not advocating the abolition of bookies in any country where they already operate, least of all SA.

Magic,we seem to be slightly across purposes on this issue.I believe that fixed odds are necessary for a number of reasons,one of which is to secure value when you identify it.However ,I do not believe that bookmakers is the way to achieve that as I am a firm believer in the betting exchange concept.Totes are betting exchanges anyway as they merely facilitate bets between punters,so to add a fixed price market just seems such a natural progression to including fixed odds betting to the equation.
What I want is fixed prices AND no restricted markets.

;)Fair enough, Rob. Exchanges may offer the best of both worlds.

Sigh.

Isn't the obvious answer for the race operators to set up an exchange.

Believe me when I tell you exchanges make a profit very similar to a tote when all is said and done.

They have the wherewithall to get the licences and the capital to fund it if anyone has.

Put my commission cheque in the post please, these thoughts aren't for free at this level.
lol

I breed and race in France. Have done so for many years.

With the legislation ending racing's monolpoly and the allowing of sports betting, racing is now headed right into the crapper. Shame, because it is the most beautiful racing on the planet.

fuck monopolies well done to the french for taking their blinkers off

Pari Mutuel figures for 2009 'satisfactory'

France: The Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU, or off-course tote) has announced a "satisfactory" set of results for 2009 - its final set of figures before the organisation's monopoly on internet betting is ended this year.

Betting turnover last year topped €9.3 billion, up 0.4% compared to 2008, but the €731 million that went back into racing was down by €6m as PMU expenses showed a slight increase at €507m - a figure that includes the financing of the highly successful racing channel Equidia.

Thanks to the PMU, Europe's largest betting organisation, the French government enriched its coffers by a shade over €1.1bn.

Philippe Germond, chairman and managing director for almost exactly a year, revealed the numbers ata press conference in Paris on Tuesday.

"When you take into account the economic situation and the amount wagered with illegal operators, the PMU results were satisfactory in 2009," said Germond.

"When I took over as the President of the PMU last April, I had never been racing and never had a bet. Now I go into cafes to enjoy the atmosphere but still don't bet!"

He is not permitted to do so. "Now I feel that horse racingis a sacred sport," added Germond.

A total of 74.8% of turnover was returned to punters by way of dividend. The takeout from straight bets, win and place, was just 15%, a growing sector that ccounted for €2.9bn of the total.

However, internet betting is growing even faster. Online punters gambled €661m, which represented an increase of 22% in just one year ahead of the bigger boom expected once the market is open to other licensed operators in early June.

The majority of bets in France are still placed in 10,400 (10,800 by the end of 2010) outlets scattered throughout the country.

The figures showed about 300,000 active clients on the internet site pmu.fr, while iPhone turnover increased by 216% in the first quarter of this year.

Early next month, the PMU will be launching a plastic card for its clients which will enable them to gamble is any way they want (café, internet,mobile etc) with funds transferred automatically into accounts, bringing French gambling into the 21st century.

The PMU believes itself well armed to take on allcomers once the licensing commission ARJEL authorises new operators.

The PMU will continue with its traditional mutuel business on horseracing - fixed odds is still barred - but expand into fixed-odds sports betting market and online poker, where it is hoping to capture between 20 and25% of online business.

Germond has been gathering partners for the opening of the market just before the World Cup in South Africa in June.

Paddy Power will be supplying expertise on fixed odds and PartyGaming hasbeen signed up to help with poker.

How much is the takeout on wins and places in SA?

Aussie chief: linking betting pools will lead to rules harmonisation

THE growth of betting between various countries will inevitably lead to greater harmonisation on rules, Racing New South Wales chairman Alan Brown forecast on Wednesday.


France-Galop president Edouard de Rothschild announced last weekend that France has turned its back on aligning with other major countries over rules relating to interference in a race.

Responding to the block, Brown, also chairman of the Asian Racing Conference organising committee, said: "Co-mingling is the future. There is a huge audience out there for racing to exploit.

"This will force harmonisation on the industry, and make countries who want to bet into each other's pools have common rules of racing."

Rob de Kock, chief executive of the National Horseracing Authority of South Africa, is chairing a working group on harmonization of raceday rules for the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities.

He reiterated his disappointment at the French decision.

However, De Kock added: "It's not a brick wall, and several of us who have the same philosophy on dealing with interference will continueto work together.

"The IFHA highlighted the need, because of the acceleration of international betting.

"Racing can't run the risk of international punters being disgruntled by different rules being applied for similar circumstances in different countries. We need to follow other sports and play by the same rules."

Guy Sargent, chairman of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Board, pointed out that his country had instituted change in line with the growth of co-mingling bets on Australian racing.

He said: "We had to make changes to bring our rules into line with Australia's, but we did it because our focus has been on the punter, who was brought into the equation.

"Co-mingling is the future for all of us. Growth in New Zealand is not going to come domestically but from working with other countries.

"We went into Hong Kong for the first time recently, and they took more money on the New Zealand Derby than we did all day on a ten-race card."

The french have banned online gaming and betfair have blocked the french

Bloody French, feel sorry for the frog punters.