France plans to open its online betting market at the start of 2010, rendering to a new bill presented by budget minister Eric Woerth. 

Presently, the country's online gambling market is ruled by Francaise des Jeux's lottery and sports betting and PMU's horse race betting, but an estimated 75 percent of online gambling in the country is done at illegal websites from around the world. 

From 1 January 2010, online gambling will be permitted in three areas, horse racing, sports and poker. Arjel, the new online gambling official, will award five year renewable licences to private operators. The state will tax horse racing betting and sports bets at 7.5 percent and poker at 2 percent. 

The bill will be obtainable to the cabinet by early April and is expected to be approved by parliament before the summer holidays, according to the minister.