GameAccount makes France play with new network, licence app, country manager 17/11/2009

Jon Parker

GAMEACCOUNT HAS LAUNCHED ITS FRENCH network and submitted an application for a licence in that country. 

The network, which offers skill gaming software to videogame publishers and operators, has also hired a new France country manager, Eric Guedj. Guedi joins the company from French casino business Partouche Interactive, where he was project manager, and will be responsible for local business development and government liaison. 

As reported on EGRmagazine.com earlier this month, GameAccount has already signed its first French deal, a white-label tie to offer skill games to sports and lifestyle retail site Born.com which went live yesterday, and will extend that deal to Born’s France-facing site on 1 December. 

The business hopes to replicate its growth in the newly-regulated Italian market, where it has secured licenses with over 60% of the country’s sports betting, scratch and poker operators in the last year, including SNAI, Cogetech and new Power 50 entrants Sisal, SNAI and Italian national lottery operator Lottomatica. 

This will include repeating its strategy of developing localised games, evidenced in Italy with offerings such as Briscola and Sette e Mezzo, with plans for French games including Belote slated for development next year. 

GameAccount chief executive Kevin Dale said: “This strategy of setting up local partnerships in the new jurisdictions, especially with major incumbent organisations like SNAI and our other partners in Italy, is to be rolled out across Europe in line with new gaming policies. The French territory is our next priority and Eric will be working with potential partners and the French government to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible.” 

Other egaming players gearing up for the opening of the French market include Paddy Power, whose new business-to-business (B2B) arm signed a deal with French duopoly operator Pari-Mutuel Urbain last week; mobile gaming specialist Probability, which announced plans for a French launch this month; the new Eurosport egaming company SPS Betting, which shelved plans for an Italy launch to focus on France; and Playtech.

For more on the French market, see our October Month End or Editor's Letter comment pieces.

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Posted: 17/11/2009