French Poker Sites
French poker sites are regulated by a law that was passed in 2010 by the French government. The current internet poker climate in France is somewhat friendly, but it is still a bit restrictive. Internet poker sites can do business in France if they get a special license and agree to only accept French players on their servers.
For French players, this means you have a small (but growing) list of government approved poker sites to play at. If you choose to play at these French poker sites, you will be playing against French players only. This is nice because everything is designed to appeal to French players, but it’s also a drawback because you do not have as many people to play with as you do at large, international poker sites.
When the first French poker sites went live in 2010, player traffic started out pretty low and unimpressive. As time as has passed, we have seen a slow but steady increase in traffic at these poker sites. French poker sites still have a long ways to go before they catch up with the established international poker sites, but things are moving in the right direction.
A few international poker sites still accept French players despite not having licenses from the French government. These poker sites feel that it is not their duty to follow every other country’s law. They simply operate according to the laws in their own jurisdiction and leave the site accessible to everyone who wants to join it.
The advantage to playing at these types of French poker sites is that you will find lower rake and more people to play against. The downside to playing at these sites is that they are not technically “legal” poker sites according to French law. Even so, many people from France play at these sites.
Best French Poker Sites
A list of the best French poker sites is open to debate depending on what you consider the best. For most poker players, the best French poker sites are the ones that have the most players and best all around experience. In that case, you will find that large, international poker sites are still the best places to play.
If you want to follow the law to the letter, then your list of the best French poker sites will have to consist only of poker sites that have received licenses from the French government. These poker sites do not have nearly as many players online, but they do get enough traffic to keep the games running around the clock.
In any case, your best bet is to look up reviews of French poker sites on the internet before you join. That way you can see what other people have to say before you just join the first French poker site you run across. The most important thing of all is that you play at a poker site that has a good reputation for security and fast cashouts.