Pokémon GO Banned From French Town Bressolles Because It Distracts Drivers And Addicts Youth

Sounds like Fabrice Beauvois is on Team Rocket.

The mayor of the French town of Bressolles, about three hours from Paris, issued a decree last week that forbid Pokémon GO from setting up shop in his community. Beauvois, in signing the by-law Aug. 9, wrote that "the virtual location of Pokémon characters is prohibited on the territory of the municipality of Bressolles."

Beauvois said the decision came after observing the danger the free app posed to inattentive pedestrians and distracted drivers. The decree also warned that the wildly popular game may be addicting for young people and causing them to form groups late at night to hunt Pokémon.

However, ITespresso noted that players don't need to worry: The ban was directed toward Niantic, which developed the app — not trainers. The simple act of catching Pokémon in Bressolles isn't banned, and it isn't an offense, ITespresso reported. Beauvois just wants the companies to leave his town alone.

Le Parisien reported that about 3 million French have begun playing Pokémon GO, which launched in the nation late last month. As such, at least one politician has proposed a bill to regulate the game. "What should be an entertainment product could turn into a potential hazard if the legislature isn't careful," Republican lawmaker Vincent Ledoux told Le Figaro recently.

In any event, Bressolles isn't the first place to try to curb its residents' Pokémon GO fever. Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Russia and Portugal are among the countries that have discouraged people from playing or firmly recommended users be careful while doing so.

Even White House spokesman Josh Earnest has spoken up about the Poké-phenomenon.

“We encourage people to not suspend common sense even as they turn to Pokémon for a little summer fun," the Hill reported he said July 21.