France’s beleaguered online poker market got a long-desired shot in the arm after politicians authorized liquidity sharing with other European Union regulated markets.

France’s ring-fenced poker market has been in terminal decline for years but politicians steadfastly refused to grant requests by French regulator ARJEL to allow its licensees to partner with operators in other regulated markets, with Italy and Spain being most commonly cited as keen and willing partners.

However, this week saw the country’s Senate have an Ebenezer Scrooge-like Christmas morning conversion, leading to their approval of an amendment to the Law for a Digital Republic that allows ARJEL to strike reciprocal poker liquidity deals with other EU member states and jurisdictions in the European Economic Area.

The amendment comes too late for many operators who shuttered their French-licensed sites based on their inability to post a profit in the heavily walled garden. Betclic Everest Group recently merged its two French poker sites into one, leaving the market with just nine operators, of which just three – Winamax, PokerStars and PartyPoker – are believed to hold a combined 90% market share.