Fancy a flutter? Online gambling becomes legal in France

Gambling just got easier in France. Rather than go into a bookies, French internet users can now place bets online. In the past, websites that offered bets or card games with cash prizes had to be based outside France, but a new law means that's no longer the case. However, they will have to follow a strict set of rules laid down by the new regulating body, set up to oversee the fledgling industry.

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17/05/2013 - LIBYA

Libyans fight for property rights

Property rights in post-Gaddafi Libya are among the many causes of friction following the end of the former dictator’s 42-year rule. A law in 1978 prevented Libyans from owning more than one house, meaning those without a home could take from Libyans who had several properties. Now, former owners are coming back to claim the properties from their occupants, and some are using force to do so. Our team in Tripoli, Marine Casalis and Huda Abuzeid, report.

16/05/2013 - FRANCE

France probes Swiss bank over tax cheats

In another instance of governments cracking down on tax evaders in hard economic times, France has asked Swiss authorities for help determining whether 353 French clients of the Swiss bank, UBS, were trying to cheat the taxman by having undeclared assets in Switzerland. On Wednesday May 15, official figures from the EU's statistics office showed the French economy had contracted by 0.2% in the first quarter of this year, officially entering a recession.

16/05/2013 - POLAND

Investigating paedophilia scandals in Poland's Catholic Church

Paedophilia scandals have rocked the Catholic Church across the world in recent years. Yet Poland, the most Catholic country in Europe, appeared to have been largely spared. But as increasing numbers of alleged victims of sexual abuse begin to speak out, it looks as if the problem may have simply been better covered up in Poland. France 24's Gulliver Cragg and Tomasz Lubik went to investigate the allegations and got a dramatically hostile reception.

15/05/2013 - BRAZIL

Finishing Rio's Maracana Stadium: a race against time

With only one month to go before the Confederations Cup, Rio’s Maracana stadium is still not finished. Originally supposed to be up and running in December, then February, the Maracana had a gentle test in April when a game was played in front of an invited crowd of some 27,000 stadium workers and their families. A more rigorous test set for May 15 was cancelled, giving more time to get everything right for the friendly between Brazil and England on June 2nd.

15/05/2013 - DENMARK

Authorities struggle to crack down on Copenhagen's gangs

A recent surge in shootings and knife attacks in Denmark’s capital city is causing alarm amongst residents and local politicians. As authorities clamp down hard on gang warfare, France 24's Malcom Brabant investigates the situation on the streets of Copenhagen.