Toulouse protest again ban on gambling advertising

MARSEILLE, Oct 1 (Reuters) Ligue 1 club Toulouse protested against a French ban on advertising for gambling by wearing the slogan ''???.com, censored'' on their shirts during a game at Olympique Marseille today.

It replaced the name of Toulouse's shirt sponsors, online casino and poker firm 888.com.

The French Professional Football League (LFP) on Friday banned its clubs from advertising any form of gambling and online betting.

Yesterday, Monaco were forced to remove advertising boards for online betting firm bwin.com before the kickoff of their Ligue 1 match against Le Mans.

An LFP official told Monaco the boards around the pitch had to be removed or the match would not start.

''Monaco insist on the fact that the decision to remove all advertising for bwin was imposed by the LFP as a condition for the match to start,'' Monaco said in a statement.

The club added that it contested the decision by the LFP and might take legal action to fight it.

The LFP ban came after the two joint chief executives of Austrian online betting firm bwin.com Interactive Entertainment were placed under investigation earlier this month for alleged violation of French gaming laws.

Gambling is a state monopoly in France and online betting firms are banned from seeking clients on French territory.

Bwin are the shirt sponsors of Monaco and have sponsorship deals with several other Ligue 1 clubs, including Le Mans, and other leading European sides.

REUTERS SY PM2243