The Competition Authority announced on Tuesday that it had imposed a fine of 750,000 euros on the National Confederation of Tobacconists “for cartel practices in the gambling distribution sector”, from August 23 to September 27, 2016.
“These practices consisted of organizing boycott operations to prevent the opening of alternative gambling distribution points, planned within the framework of a partnership between Française des Jeux (FDJ) and the company Réseau Fleuri”, that is, florists under the Florajet brand, the Authority said in a press release.
The competition watchdog indicates that, since 2013, the FDJ “began to develop contractual relations with the floral teletransmission company Réseau Fleuri”, that is, a total of 7,500 artisan florists, thus authorizing the online sale of a bouquet called “Bouquet Chance”, accompanied by scratch games.
Boycott operations
At the end of 2015, a broader partnership was concluded between the two entities, “which allows florists in the Florajet network to distribute certain scratch games” such as Loto, EuroMillions and Keno games, it is detailed.
This approval by La Française of games at points of sale outside the tobacconists’ network had “awakened strong discontent” on the part of the latter, indicates the Competition Authority.
“Considering that the “Florajet affair” demanded in return “very harsh measures against the FDJ” and that it was necessary “to destroy its new game that will be released in September”, the Confederation of French Tobacconists (CNBF) “then committed itself and organized operations to boycott the validation of the FDJ games, operations broadcast locally by the regional federations and the tobacconist union chambers,” the statement states.
It is indicated that “boycotts were organized in particular during the launch of the new EuroMillions game formula on September 27, 2016”, as well as during “the validation of online games (Loto, Sports Loto and EuroMillions) in the Eastern Federation on September 22, 2016.”
“By focusing on expelling potential competitors from tobacconists, the CNBF has gone beyond the limits of its legitimate union activity by intervening in the market,” considers the Competition Authority, which refers to “particularly serious behavior.” .
Source: BFM TV
