Section 1: Operating rights

Sports federations, as well as the organisers of sports events mentioned in article L. 331-5, own the exploitation rights to the sports events or competitions that they organise. Any sports federation may assign to sports companies, free of charge, the ownership of all or part of the audiovisual exploitation rights to sports competitions or events organised each sports season by the professional league it has created, provided that these companies…

The right of exploitation defined in the first paragraph of article L. 333-1 includes the right to agree to the organisation of bets on sporting events or competitions.

When the right to organise bets is granted by a sports federation or by an organiser of sports events mentioned in the first paragraph of Article L. 331-5 to betting operators holding the authorisation provided for in Article 21 of Law no. 2010-476 of 12 May 2010 relating to the opening up to competition and the regulation of the online gambling sector or exclusive rights to organise and operate sports…

The associations referred to inArticle L. 122-1 and the sports companies referred to in Article L. 122-2 may grant sports betting operators holding the authorisation provided for in Article 21 of Law no. 2010-476 of 12 May 2010 relating to the opening up to competition and the regulation of the online gambling sector or exclusive rights to organise and operate sports betting games on the basis of the provisions provided…

The organiser of a sporting event or competition referred to in Article L. 331-5 who prohibits its players from placing bets, directly or through an intermediary, on bets based on this event or sporting competition may, with a view to penalising breaches of this prohibition, request : 1° The Autorité Nationale des Jeux (National Gaming Authority) for access to personal information relating to gambling transactions recorded by an online gaming…

The audiovisual exploitation rights assigned to the sports companies are marketed by the professional league under conditions and within limits specified by decree in the Conseil d’Etat. This marketing is carried out in batches, for a limited period and in compliance with competition rules.

The professional league may, for the marketing and management of the audiovisual exploitation rights assigned to the sports companies, create a commercial company subject to the French Commercial Code, subject to the agreement of the delegating sports federation that created the professional league. The audiovisual exploitation rights assigned to the sports companies are marketed by the commercial company created by the professional league, under conditions and within limits specified by…

In order to guarantee the general interest and the principles of unity and solidarity between professional and amateur activities, the income from the marketing by the league or, where applicable, by the commercial company mentioned in the first paragraph of article L. 333-2-1 of the companies’ exploitation rights is divided between the federation, the league, the companies and, where applicable, the commercial company mentioned in the same first paragraph. The…

Sports federations, sports companies and the organisers of sports events may not, in their capacity as holders of the exploitation rights, impose on sportsmen and women taking part in an event or competition any obligation that infringes their freedom of expression.

The increase in assets resulting, for beneficiary sports companies, from the transfer of audiovisual exploitation rights provided for in article L. 333-1 is not taken into account when determining their taxable income for the financial year in which this transfer takes place. Expenses relating to the increase in the assets of these companies may not be deducted from their taxable income. The sale by sports federations of their audiovisual exploitation…