Gambling in France has shown a promising upward trend, with gross gaming revenue (GGR) rising by 3.5% year-on-year in the first half of 2025. The increase, amounting to €5.7 billion (approximately $6.7 billion), has been significantly influenced by the robust performance of the online sports betting sector. The national regulatory body, l’Autorité Nationale des Jeux (ANJ), reported that this figure surpassed the €5.5 billion recorded during the same period last year, excluding revenues from land-based casinos and gaming clubs, which were reported separately.
The online gambling sector has been a key driver of this growth, particularly in sports betting, which saw a remarkable 10% increase in revenue, reaching €961 million. This surge was supported by a 15% rise in stakes, totalling €6 billion. Notably, the number of unique player accounts also rose by 10% during this period.
Interestingly, this growth occurred despite the absence of major global sporting events in the first half of the year. In contrast, the same period in 2024 featured the early stages of the Euro 2024 football tournament, which likely contributed to higher betting volumes. Football continues to dominate the betting landscape in France, accounting for 52% of all online wagers, followed by tennis at 26%, basketball at 9%, and rugby at 2%. The remaining 11% of bets were placed on various other sports.
While online sports betting did very well, other segments of the online gambling market did not fare as well. Internet poker revenue experienced a decline of 4%, totalling €246 million. Cash game poker revenue was particularly hard hit, dropping by 15% to €47 million, although other formats remained stable. This overall decline in poker revenue occurred despite a 10% increase in unique players, which the ANJ attributed to effective cross-selling strategies.
In the realm of online horse racing, revenue remained flat at €174 million, with stakes increasing by a modest 1% to €795 million. However, the growth rate was slower compared to the previous two years, and the number of unique online horse racing players fell by 3% year-on-year.
The ANJ also released separate figures for La Française des Jeux (FDJ), which completed its acquisition of Kindred Group in October 2024. This acquisition significantly boosted FDJ’s revenue, which rose by 19% in the first half of 2025, reaching €4.4 billion. Sports betting remained the primary revenue source for FDJ, generating €3.5 billion, a 4% increase from the previous year.
The impact of the Kindred acquisition was particularly pronounced in the online betting and gaming segment, which skyrocketed by 458% to €703 million. However, international lottery revenue for FDJ saw a decline of 9%, amounting to €168 million during the same period.
The ANJ also provided insights into the performance of Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU), which reported revenue of over €830 million in the first half of 2025. This figure represented a 2.6% decrease compared to the same period in 2024. PMU faced challenges in the first quarter, with revenue dropping by 4% and stakes declining by 5.5%. Although there was a slight recovery in the second quarter, revenue remained down by 1.3%, and wagers decreased by 3%.
Showing posts with label FDJ. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FDJ. Show all posts
October 02, 2025
May 14, 2012
La Française des Jeux launches a new instant game to support the French Olympic Team for the London 2012 Olympic Games
On May 10, La Française des Jeux (FDJ) launched a new special event instant game tied to the London 2012 Olympics : ’Avec l’Equipe de France Olympique à Londres en 2012’ (With the French Olympic Team in London in 2012).
The ticket costs €5 and features 4 games involving 4 emblematic Olympic disciplines in which the French have high medal potential: 100 and 200 meter sprint (athletics), handball, judo and swimming. Players can win up to €25,000 on each game and cumulate winnings of up to €100,000.
This new game is part of a partnership between FDJ and the French National Olympic and Sporting Committee (CNOSF) built more than 10 years ago. This cooperation has enabled FDJ to launch its 4th instant game based on Olympic Games after the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008.
FDJ will host a booth at the ‘Club France’ in London and will support the athletes of the FDJ Foundation’s ‘Challenge’ program including nearly forty athletes that could play at the Olympic Games. On that occasion, FDJ Foundation will allocate an additional grant of 5,000 to the Challengers medalists. At the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, French challengers won 23 medals.
For 30 years, La Française des Jeux has been strongly committed to sport. The company contributes every year to financing the sport for all in France, with nearly 2% of stakes allocated to the National Sport Development Center (CNDS), i.e. €212 million in 2011; €4 billion in thirty years. Since 1993, FDJ has set up a corporate Foundation dedicated to sport patronage and has launched a Challenge’ program aimed to encourage each month young athletes showing high potential in the early stages of their careers by allocating them a grant of €15,000.
The ticket costs €5 and features 4 games involving 4 emblematic Olympic disciplines in which the French have high medal potential: 100 and 200 meter sprint (athletics), handball, judo and swimming. Players can win up to €25,000 on each game and cumulate winnings of up to €100,000.
This new game is part of a partnership between FDJ and the French National Olympic and Sporting Committee (CNOSF) built more than 10 years ago. This cooperation has enabled FDJ to launch its 4th instant game based on Olympic Games after the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000, Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008.
FDJ will host a booth at the ‘Club France’ in London and will support the athletes of the FDJ Foundation’s ‘Challenge’ program including nearly forty athletes that could play at the Olympic Games. On that occasion, FDJ Foundation will allocate an additional grant of 5,000 to the Challengers medalists. At the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008, French challengers won 23 medals.
For 30 years, La Française des Jeux has been strongly committed to sport. The company contributes every year to financing the sport for all in France, with nearly 2% of stakes allocated to the National Sport Development Center (CNDS), i.e. €212 million in 2011; €4 billion in thirty years. Since 1993, FDJ has set up a corporate Foundation dedicated to sport patronage and has launched a Challenge’ program aimed to encourage each month young athletes showing high potential in the early stages of their careers by allocating them a grant of €15,000.
October 27, 2010
France: Ladbrokes out, Unibet in
Ladbrokes will not launch in France and has pulled out of its proposed sports betting joint venture with Canal+ after it decided tax conditions made the market economically unviable.
The decision coincides with Unibet being awarded sports betting, poker and horseracing licences by French regulator ARJEL, reported La Tribune on Friday. The operator said it hoped to go live by late 2010 or early 2011.
Commenting on Ladbrokes’ decision Gary McIlraith, Ladbrokes managing director of digital channels, international and strategy said: “Together with our partners we have concluded that the French market is now taxed at such a prohibitive level that it does not represent an attractive investment. We will continue to monitor the French marketplace but for the time being will not progress with the launch plans.”
A Ladbrokes spokesman added that the recent confirmation by French authorities that operators would also be required to pay VAT had been the final straw. “Online gambling services in France are already subject to turnover-based taxes and payments to sport and it was recently confirmed that they would also be subject to VAT charges. Initial market size figures from ARJEL have also been below expectations,” he said.
Ladbrokes’ French withdrawal comes only two weeks after French regulator ARJEL released its initial data on the performance of the legal market in its first four months since it launched in June. This showed it was just a quarter the size of the offshore market prior to regulation, despite ARJEL’s figures now including contributions from former monopolies PMU and FDJ.
Chief executives of new market entrants including Nicolas Beraud of BetClic owner Mangas Gaming, Alex Dreyfus of Chiligaming and Emmanuel de Rohan Chabot of ZETurf last week used the platform of France’s first ever egaming conference, Monaco’s iGaming Exchanges, to call for tax rates, betting duties, the registration process and payback conditions to be revised. According to Beraud, the French system was failing to bring the illegal market onshore and in its publicly stated aim of protecting the consumer.
Ladbrokes joins Sportingbet and Paddy Power as high-profile operators which decided against entering the market on a B2C basis, with Sportingbet also opting to cancel its B2B agreements with newspapers Le Monde and L’Express.
Unibet’s announcement in May that it was to enter the French licensing process led to 25% of its share price being wiped out the following week, with investors worried about only a marginal contribution from a key market due to high tax rates and the absence of Unibet’s core casino product. In August, chief executive Henrik Tjarnstrom was then forced to defend the prospect of zero revenues from France in the third-quarter of 2010 due to this decision.
The decision coincides with Unibet being awarded sports betting, poker and horseracing licences by French regulator ARJEL, reported La Tribune on Friday. The operator said it hoped to go live by late 2010 or early 2011.
Commenting on Ladbrokes’ decision Gary McIlraith, Ladbrokes managing director of digital channels, international and strategy said: “Together with our partners we have concluded that the French market is now taxed at such a prohibitive level that it does not represent an attractive investment. We will continue to monitor the French marketplace but for the time being will not progress with the launch plans.”
A Ladbrokes spokesman added that the recent confirmation by French authorities that operators would also be required to pay VAT had been the final straw. “Online gambling services in France are already subject to turnover-based taxes and payments to sport and it was recently confirmed that they would also be subject to VAT charges. Initial market size figures from ARJEL have also been below expectations,” he said.
Ladbrokes’ French withdrawal comes only two weeks after French regulator ARJEL released its initial data on the performance of the legal market in its first four months since it launched in June. This showed it was just a quarter the size of the offshore market prior to regulation, despite ARJEL’s figures now including contributions from former monopolies PMU and FDJ.
Chief executives of new market entrants including Nicolas Beraud of BetClic owner Mangas Gaming, Alex Dreyfus of Chiligaming and Emmanuel de Rohan Chabot of ZETurf last week used the platform of France’s first ever egaming conference, Monaco’s iGaming Exchanges, to call for tax rates, betting duties, the registration process and payback conditions to be revised. According to Beraud, the French system was failing to bring the illegal market onshore and in its publicly stated aim of protecting the consumer.
Ladbrokes joins Sportingbet and Paddy Power as high-profile operators which decided against entering the market on a B2C basis, with Sportingbet also opting to cancel its B2B agreements with newspapers Le Monde and L’Express.
Unibet’s announcement in May that it was to enter the French licensing process led to 25% of its share price being wiped out the following week, with investors worried about only a marginal contribution from a key market due to high tax rates and the absence of Unibet’s core casino product. In August, chief executive Henrik Tjarnstrom was then forced to defend the prospect of zero revenues from France in the third-quarter of 2010 due to this decision.
September 16, 2010
French casino association launches 200%Poker brand
Spiral Solutions France has announced the launch of 200%Poker, the online gaming brand of France’s La Societe Francaise des Jeux sur Internet (SFJI), a leading association of forty French independent land-based casinos.
The new 200%Poker brand will be officially unveiled at a launch event and press conference in Paris today, and will signal a new interactive era for France’s La Societe Francaise des Jeux sur Internet.
SFJI is an association of forty French independent land-based casinos which collectively host more than forty million customers each year. Led by Luc Le Borgne, directeur general of Vikings-Casinos, the group will own and manage the 200%Poker brand, enabling the group to extend its land-based casino businesses online and achieve new revenue streams.
“Our customers are keen to experience the thrill of online poker. 200% Poker extends the trust and loyalty of our group's brand into the online world,” said Luc Le Borgne. “With world-class platform and the private service we get from Spiral Solutions France, we're confident that 200% Poker will be a great success."
SFJI received an online poker licence from French regulator ARJEL in July to cover its 200%poker brand – 200pourcentpoker.fr, 200pour100poker.fr, 200pourcent.fr, 200poker.fr, 200pour100.fr – and has launched on the French poker network jointly operated by 888 and Microgaming.
“France's online poker gaming market is set to experience massive growth, representing a tremendous opportunity for gaming and casino brands like SFJI,” said Christophe Santa Maria, president of Spiral Solutions France. “We're perfectly placed to help any organisation launch an online poker offering in France. Our experience and expertise was crucial in securing the ARJEL licence and launching 200% Poker. It is without doubt one of the most exciting players in the French market.”
Matti Zinder, managing partner and CEO of Spiral Solutions, added: “Gaining entry into newly regulated markets is not without its challenges. Our clients in France and in other newly regulated markets such as Italy, Denmark and others can capitalise on Spiral Solutions' bespoke, private and professional interactive gaming solutions that enhance their brand and maximise their revenues.”
Spiral Solutions France is a joint venture between Spiral Solutions and Santa Maria Group.
The new 200%Poker brand will be officially unveiled at a launch event and press conference in Paris today, and will signal a new interactive era for France’s La Societe Francaise des Jeux sur Internet.
SFJI is an association of forty French independent land-based casinos which collectively host more than forty million customers each year. Led by Luc Le Borgne, directeur general of Vikings-Casinos, the group will own and manage the 200%Poker brand, enabling the group to extend its land-based casino businesses online and achieve new revenue streams.
“Our customers are keen to experience the thrill of online poker. 200% Poker extends the trust and loyalty of our group's brand into the online world,” said Luc Le Borgne. “With world-class platform and the private service we get from Spiral Solutions France, we're confident that 200% Poker will be a great success."
SFJI received an online poker licence from French regulator ARJEL in July to cover its 200%poker brand – 200pourcentpoker.fr, 200pour100poker.fr, 200pourcent.fr, 200poker.fr, 200pour100.fr – and has launched on the French poker network jointly operated by 888 and Microgaming.
“France's online poker gaming market is set to experience massive growth, representing a tremendous opportunity for gaming and casino brands like SFJI,” said Christophe Santa Maria, president of Spiral Solutions France. “We're perfectly placed to help any organisation launch an online poker offering in France. Our experience and expertise was crucial in securing the ARJEL licence and launching 200% Poker. It is without doubt one of the most exciting players in the French market.”
Matti Zinder, managing partner and CEO of Spiral Solutions, added: “Gaining entry into newly regulated markets is not without its challenges. Our clients in France and in other newly regulated markets such as Italy, Denmark and others can capitalise on Spiral Solutions' bespoke, private and professional interactive gaming solutions that enhance their brand and maximise their revenues.”
Spiral Solutions France is a joint venture between Spiral Solutions and Santa Maria Group.
June 08, 2010
Bwin, BetClic, Everest among first French licensees
Bwin has achieved the distinction of being the only non-French operator among the first wave of online gaming licences handed out by French regulator ARJEL this morning.
The Austrian operator received licences to offer poker and sports betting into the French market both directly via its BES SAS French subsidary and in partnership with media conglomerate Amaury Group. Mangas Gaming-owned Everest Poker was the only other operator with significant business outside of France among the 11 operators directly licensed by the French regulatory authority this morning.
Other major egaming operators now in the French market on a B2B basis via partnerships with licensed operators include PartyGaming, via its poker JV with PMU, Paddy Power through providing fixed odds pricing and risk management to PMU, and Unibet, providing pools-based sports betting via France Pari, announced this morning. Software provider Orbis is also providing PMU with its sports betting platforms.
Alex Dreyfus, chief executive of ChiliGaming, awarded a sports betting licence for its joint venture with French telecoms and internet service provider group Iliad, told EGRMagazine.com that the pair had worked “18 months on this project to be one of the first to have a licence.”
Dreyfus however added that the “very tough” technology and compliance requirements of the ARJEL meant they would not be ready to go live ahead of the football World Cup, which starts this Friday.
The ChiliGaming chief executive also remarked on the fact that only one non-French operator, Bwin, was in the first round of approvals. “I think it was a first filter. But they are going to issue more licences at the end of the month,” he added.
The full list of licence approvals this morning was as follows:
BetClic (BetClic.fr): pari-mutuel horse race betting, poker, sports– fixed odds and pool betting.
Beturf (Groupe Paris Turf): pari-mutuel horse race betting.
BES SAS (Bwin’s French subsidiary: Bwin.fr): poker, sports – fixed odds and pool betting.
Bwin/Amaury Groupe (Sajoo.fr): poker, sports – fixed odds and pool betting.
EverestPoker (EverestPoker.fr): poker.
France Pari (France-Pari.fr): sports – pool betting.
La Française des Jeux (ParionsWeb.fr): sports – fixed odds and pool betting.
Iliad Gaming/ChiliGaming (Chilipari.fr): sports – fixed odds and pool betting
Pari Mutuel Urbain (Pmu.fr): poker, sports – fixed odds and pool betting.
SPS Betting (Eurosportbet.fr): poker, sports – fixed odds and pool betting.
Table 14 (Winamax.fr) : poker.
The Austrian operator received licences to offer poker and sports betting into the French market both directly via its BES SAS French subsidary and in partnership with media conglomerate Amaury Group. Mangas Gaming-owned Everest Poker was the only other operator with significant business outside of France among the 11 operators directly licensed by the French regulatory authority this morning.
Other major egaming operators now in the French market on a B2B basis via partnerships with licensed operators include PartyGaming, via its poker JV with PMU, Paddy Power through providing fixed odds pricing and risk management to PMU, and Unibet, providing pools-based sports betting via France Pari, announced this morning. Software provider Orbis is also providing PMU with its sports betting platforms.
Alex Dreyfus, chief executive of ChiliGaming, awarded a sports betting licence for its joint venture with French telecoms and internet service provider group Iliad, told EGRMagazine.com that the pair had worked “18 months on this project to be one of the first to have a licence.”
Dreyfus however added that the “very tough” technology and compliance requirements of the ARJEL meant they would not be ready to go live ahead of the football World Cup, which starts this Friday.
The ChiliGaming chief executive also remarked on the fact that only one non-French operator, Bwin, was in the first round of approvals. “I think it was a first filter. But they are going to issue more licences at the end of the month,” he added.
The full list of licence approvals this morning was as follows:
BetClic (BetClic.fr): pari-mutuel horse race betting, poker, sports– fixed odds and pool betting.
Beturf (Groupe Paris Turf): pari-mutuel horse race betting.
BES SAS (Bwin’s French subsidiary: Bwin.fr): poker, sports – fixed odds and pool betting.
Bwin/Amaury Groupe (Sajoo.fr): poker, sports – fixed odds and pool betting.
EverestPoker (EverestPoker.fr): poker.
France Pari (France-Pari.fr): sports – pool betting.
La Française des Jeux (ParionsWeb.fr): sports – fixed odds and pool betting.
Iliad Gaming/ChiliGaming (Chilipari.fr): sports – fixed odds and pool betting
Pari Mutuel Urbain (Pmu.fr): poker, sports – fixed odds and pool betting.
SPS Betting (Eurosportbet.fr): poker, sports – fixed odds and pool betting.
Table 14 (Winamax.fr) : poker.
March 26, 2010
France's FDJ buys LVS ahead of World Cup
LA Française des Jeux (FDJ), the French national lottery operator and the second largest lottery operator in the world, has acquired LVS, the betting software supplier that FDJ in January signed to provide its fixed-odds sports betting platform.
FDJ chairman and chief executive Christophe Blanchard-Dignac said: “This is an important acquisition in the context of the opening of the French online betting market to competition. By buying this company, La Française des Jeux reinforces its technological control on the overall activity – sports betting and lotteries – in the stake of the safety of our customers.”
The acquisition for an undisclosed sum of the software house by FDJ follows January’s announcement that LVS had won the contract to deliver fixed-odds sports betting online for FDJ once the French online sports betting market opens this year.
French budget minister Eric Woerth recently announced the country’s online gaming law will come into effect by 1 June, opening the country’s egaming market for competition ahead of this summer’s football World Cup.
LVS chief executive Simon Ordish said: “We’re delighted that La Française des Jeux has chosen to strengthen even further the successful relationship we already have. It will enable us to take the business to the next level and exploit new opportunities.”
FDJ’s range of sports bets increased by 24% year-on-year and accounted for sales of €783m in 2009, representing around 8% of turnover. Online bets increased 61% to €43m. FDJ has set a target of €1bn-worth of sports bets in 2010 through online and retail sales, representing 10% of overall sales.
UK and Gibraltar-based LVS, which employs around 40 people, is currently working with FDJ to build a new live betting platform.
FDJ chairman and chief executive Christophe Blanchard-Dignac said: “This is an important acquisition in the context of the opening of the French online betting market to competition. By buying this company, La Française des Jeux reinforces its technological control on the overall activity – sports betting and lotteries – in the stake of the safety of our customers.”
The acquisition for an undisclosed sum of the software house by FDJ follows January’s announcement that LVS had won the contract to deliver fixed-odds sports betting online for FDJ once the French online sports betting market opens this year.
French budget minister Eric Woerth recently announced the country’s online gaming law will come into effect by 1 June, opening the country’s egaming market for competition ahead of this summer’s football World Cup.
LVS chief executive Simon Ordish said: “We’re delighted that La Française des Jeux has chosen to strengthen even further the successful relationship we already have. It will enable us to take the business to the next level and exploit new opportunities.”
FDJ’s range of sports bets increased by 24% year-on-year and accounted for sales of €783m in 2009, representing around 8% of turnover. Online bets increased 61% to €43m. FDJ has set a target of €1bn-worth of sports bets in 2010 through online and retail sales, representing 10% of overall sales.
UK and Gibraltar-based LVS, which employs around 40 people, is currently working with FDJ to build a new live betting platform.
February 10, 2010
888, Bwin, Sportingbet, Unibet face French legal action
888, Bwin, Sportingbet and Unibet are being sued for “illegal competition” in the French courts for offering casino games such as slots, blackjack or roulette to French internet users.
The casino groups Barrière, which launching an online poker product with monopoly Francaise Des Jeux; Joagroupe, Tranchant and the Casinos de France trade union allege that offering the games is in contravention of current gaming legislation and of the egaming regulation set to come into effect in June, which prohibits licensed operators from offering online casino games to French players.
They also accuse the online operators of 'deliberately violating French legislation on games of chance' by not adhering to the strict parameters for operating casinos in the country, and of “depriving the State of substantial tax revenues, and not upholding the principles of player protection and fighting against problem gambling, fraud and money laundering”.
The casino groups are asking for a symbolic payment of €1m in damages, plus €30,000 to cover their legal costs, and will ask for the publication of the court’s judgement in the main French daily newspapers.
In other French egaming news, tax on fixed odds betting in France could be as much as half a percentage point higher than expected, if proposed amendments to draft gaming laws are approved by French politicians this month, while tax on horse racing could fall by the same amount and a ban on pre-pay cards be dropped.
The casino groups Barrière, which launching an online poker product with monopoly Francaise Des Jeux; Joagroupe, Tranchant and the Casinos de France trade union allege that offering the games is in contravention of current gaming legislation and of the egaming regulation set to come into effect in June, which prohibits licensed operators from offering online casino games to French players.
They also accuse the online operators of 'deliberately violating French legislation on games of chance' by not adhering to the strict parameters for operating casinos in the country, and of “depriving the State of substantial tax revenues, and not upholding the principles of player protection and fighting against problem gambling, fraud and money laundering”.
The casino groups are asking for a symbolic payment of €1m in damages, plus €30,000 to cover their legal costs, and will ask for the publication of the court’s judgement in the main French daily newspapers.
In other French egaming news, tax on fixed odds betting in France could be as much as half a percentage point higher than expected, if proposed amendments to draft gaming laws are approved by French politicians this month, while tax on horse racing could fall by the same amount and a ban on pre-pay cards be dropped.
February 04, 2010
FDJ and TF1 sign French TV deal ahead of June
Francaise des Jeux (FDJ) and TF1, France’s largest commercial TV channel, have signed an online gaming and sponsorship agreement ahead of the liberalisation of the French egaming market expected in June.
The three-year partnership will see FDJ, France's betting and lottery monopoly, sponsor a number of TV shows on TF1 and provide a dedicated egmaing space on the channel's website, TF1.fr, which has around 15 million unique visitors every month, according to a joint statement by both companies.
TF1 is part of the Bouygues conglomerate, which is also the parent company of Eurosport TV and SPS Betting, the egaming firm operating Eurosportsbet, and recorded a turnover of €2.26bn in 2009.
FDJ, meanwhile, had a turnover of €9.9bn in 2009 and is the second biggest lottery operator in the world behind Italy's Lottomatica.
The egaming site on TF1 will provide lottery and sports betting products to French punters and the channel's porgramming will include exclusive content related to betting and gaming sponsored by FDJ in time for the football World Cup in June.
The partnership will also give TF1 the opportunity to exploit some of FDJ's scratch card game formats, which represented around €3.8bn of the monopoly's turnover last year, with popular TF1 shows appearing on FDJ scratch cards.
The three-year partnership will see FDJ, France's betting and lottery monopoly, sponsor a number of TV shows on TF1 and provide a dedicated egmaing space on the channel's website, TF1.fr, which has around 15 million unique visitors every month, according to a joint statement by both companies.
TF1 is part of the Bouygues conglomerate, which is also the parent company of Eurosport TV and SPS Betting, the egaming firm operating Eurosportsbet, and recorded a turnover of €2.26bn in 2009.
FDJ, meanwhile, had a turnover of €9.9bn in 2009 and is the second biggest lottery operator in the world behind Italy's Lottomatica.
The egaming site on TF1 will provide lottery and sports betting products to French punters and the channel's porgramming will include exclusive content related to betting and gaming sponsored by FDJ in time for the football World Cup in June.
The partnership will also give TF1 the opportunity to exploit some of FDJ's scratch card game formats, which represented around €3.8bn of the monopoly's turnover last year, with popular TF1 shows appearing on FDJ scratch cards.
January 21, 2010
Francais des Jeux joins Barrière for online poker move
With the regulation of the French online gambling market on the cards for this year, Francaise des Jeux (FDJ), the French lottery and sports betting monopoly, has joined forces with the Barrière casino group to offer an online poker room which will compete with the many others anticipated to flood the market when it opens.
According to French newspaper, Le Figaro, the FDJ had a very good year in 2009, and intends on moving from number three to number two on the worldwide lottery scale, so that it would be in front of Spain and behind Italy. Before a controlled opening of the market even occurs, Le Figaro state that 750,000 French people play online poker, and in the face of future competition, the French intend on preserving their monopoly on online gambling.
Currently all gambling in France is controlled by state agencies Francaise des Jeux and PMU but the new law will see private companies regulated and licensed.
The move will be subject to the agreement of the Arjel, the Authority of regulation of online games in France.
A similar move was made in Denmark after the Danish government drafted up legislation for a partially liberalised market set to come about in 2011. This would mean open competition for poker and casino, therefore Danske Spil, like FDJ, was on the lookout for an online gaming company which would ensure its success when this happens. It recently found this partnership in PartyGaming.
According to French newspaper, Le Figaro, the FDJ had a very good year in 2009, and intends on moving from number three to number two on the worldwide lottery scale, so that it would be in front of Spain and behind Italy. Before a controlled opening of the market even occurs, Le Figaro state that 750,000 French people play online poker, and in the face of future competition, the French intend on preserving their monopoly on online gambling.
Currently all gambling in France is controlled by state agencies Francaise des Jeux and PMU but the new law will see private companies regulated and licensed.
The move will be subject to the agreement of the Arjel, the Authority of regulation of online games in France.
A similar move was made in Denmark after the Danish government drafted up legislation for a partially liberalised market set to come about in 2011. This would mean open competition for poker and casino, therefore Danske Spil, like FDJ, was on the lookout for an online gaming company which would ensure its success when this happens. It recently found this partnership in PartyGaming.
January 07, 2010
PMU signs 4-year FFF tie
Pari Mutuel Urbain (PMU) has signed a four-year sponsorship deal with the French football federation as the French monopoly operator prepares for the liberalisation of the French market this year.
PMU is one of France’s two giant state-backed gaming and betting providers, together with Française des Jeux (FDJ). It has around 10,000 retail outlets in France and recorded a turnover of €9.3bn in 2009. PMU and FDJ both joined the Power 50 list of leading operators this year ahead of the opening of the French market to foreign competitors in early 2010.
The deal with the Federation Francaise De Football (FFF) sees the operator join sports brand Adidas, bank Credit Agricole and energy giant GDF Suez as a sponsor for both the men’s and women’s national teams and French amateur football.
It will take effect after the 2010 FIFA World Cup to be held in South Africa. Prior to that, PMU will also sponsor coverage of the World Cup on the Eurosport and TF1 television channels, despite Eurosport having launched its own sports betting site in May.
The FFF sponsorship is PMU’s second major deal since five-year tie up with Paddy Power’s new business-to-business arm announced in November, which will see Paddy Power provide PMU with fixed-odds risk management and pricing tools..
PMU is one of France’s two giant state-backed gaming and betting providers, together with Française des Jeux (FDJ). It has around 10,000 retail outlets in France and recorded a turnover of €9.3bn in 2009. PMU and FDJ both joined the Power 50 list of leading operators this year ahead of the opening of the French market to foreign competitors in early 2010.
The deal with the Federation Francaise De Football (FFF) sees the operator join sports brand Adidas, bank Credit Agricole and energy giant GDF Suez as a sponsor for both the men’s and women’s national teams and French amateur football.
It will take effect after the 2010 FIFA World Cup to be held in South Africa. Prior to that, PMU will also sponsor coverage of the World Cup on the Eurosport and TF1 television channels, despite Eurosport having launched its own sports betting site in May.
The FFF sponsorship is PMU’s second major deal since five-year tie up with Paddy Power’s new business-to-business arm announced in November, which will see Paddy Power provide PMU with fixed-odds risk management and pricing tools..
April 24, 2009
EU operators intensify fight for French market share
As competition intensifies ahead of the liberalisation of the French gaming market next year, private European operators have been providing a much needed boost to the dwindling advertising revenues of French media groups in recent months. France’s Budget Minister, Eric Woerth, has warned however that any advertising of online gaming sites remains illegal until the new legislation is implemented as expected in early 2010.
Unibet has been one of the most proactive companies, announcing a partnership with French radio station Radio Monte Carlo earlier this week to sponsor a new programme called 'Les Paris RMC' beginning this weekend. The estimated €1 million contract will run during 2009 with an option to extend into 2010.
Unibet has also invested a further €1 million into the development of a reality TV programme on sports and poker, broadcast by French television network NT1, as well as a partnership with free daily newspaper Metro.
Meanwhile BetClic, owned by France's Mangas Gaming, is currently negotiating an alliance with Europe 1, one of the leading radio broadcasters in France. The company has already began its first advertising campaigns on the radio.
Both companies have also targeted the burgeoning football sponsorship arena, with Unibet due to announce a sponsorship deal with leading French football team Paris Saint-Germain, while BetClic is rumoured to have three clubs in its sights, Olympique de Marseille, Olympic Lyonnais and AS Saint-Étienne.
Additionally, bwin signed a joint venture agreement last year with French media group Editions Philippe Amaury, publisher of French daily newspapers L’Équipe and Le Parisien, and one of France's largest organisers of sporting events through its subsidiary Amaury Sport Organisation. Amaury and bwin intend to develop the French online gaming market under the new legislation.
In an interview with France’s Le Figaro, Isabelle Parize, Managing Director of Mangas Gaming, said that the company was aware of Mr. Woerth’s objections to the marketing activities currently underway.
“We have been waiting for months now,” said Ms. Parize. “The bill was presented to the Council of Ministers in March and we are effectively in a pre-liberalisation phase. We cannot sit waiting with our arms crossed while FDJ is accelerating its marketing activities, launching new games and entering into new partnerships.
“We simply demand equal treatment with the monopoly holders PMU and FDJ who have signed agreements with RTL, the leading French radio station, 20 Minutes, the largest free French daily, Canal+, and France 2. We are not doing anything illegal from a European legislative perspective.”
Both Unibet and the European Gaming & Betting Association (EGBA) also maintain that advertising in France by European operators is not illegal.
According to Article 48 of the French draft legislation on online gambling however, any promotion of gaming sites by non-authorised companies is illegal and could result in a fine of up to €30,000. As the law currently stands, only state-owned monopoly La Française de Jeux is allowed to promote online sports betting in France.
Last week French radio station RTL launched the first radio broadcast dedicated to sports betting called 'On Joue Le Match', sponsored by FDJ as part of an 18-month strategic partnership.
FDJ also recently launched a new TV show on channel France2 named Côte & Match after its sports betting product, which is intended to help FDJ acquire a larger share of the sports betting market ahead of its liberalisation.
Unibet has been one of the most proactive companies, announcing a partnership with French radio station Radio Monte Carlo earlier this week to sponsor a new programme called 'Les Paris RMC' beginning this weekend. The estimated €1 million contract will run during 2009 with an option to extend into 2010.Unibet has also invested a further €1 million into the development of a reality TV programme on sports and poker, broadcast by French television network NT1, as well as a partnership with free daily newspaper Metro.
Meanwhile BetClic, owned by France's Mangas Gaming, is currently negotiating an alliance with Europe 1, one of the leading radio broadcasters in France. The company has already began its first advertising campaigns on the radio.
Both companies have also targeted the burgeoning football sponsorship arena, with Unibet due to announce a sponsorship deal with leading French football team Paris Saint-Germain, while BetClic is rumoured to have three clubs in its sights, Olympique de Marseille, Olympic Lyonnais and AS Saint-Étienne.
Additionally, bwin signed a joint venture agreement last year with French media group Editions Philippe Amaury, publisher of French daily newspapers L’Équipe and Le Parisien, and one of France's largest organisers of sporting events through its subsidiary Amaury Sport Organisation. Amaury and bwin intend to develop the French online gaming market under the new legislation.
In an interview with France’s Le Figaro, Isabelle Parize, Managing Director of Mangas Gaming, said that the company was aware of Mr. Woerth’s objections to the marketing activities currently underway.
“We have been waiting for months now,” said Ms. Parize. “The bill was presented to the Council of Ministers in March and we are effectively in a pre-liberalisation phase. We cannot sit waiting with our arms crossed while FDJ is accelerating its marketing activities, launching new games and entering into new partnerships.
“We simply demand equal treatment with the monopoly holders PMU and FDJ who have signed agreements with RTL, the leading French radio station, 20 Minutes, the largest free French daily, Canal+, and France 2. We are not doing anything illegal from a European legislative perspective.”
Both Unibet and the European Gaming & Betting Association (EGBA) also maintain that advertising in France by European operators is not illegal.
According to Article 48 of the French draft legislation on online gambling however, any promotion of gaming sites by non-authorised companies is illegal and could result in a fine of up to €30,000. As the law currently stands, only state-owned monopoly La Française de Jeux is allowed to promote online sports betting in France.
Last week French radio station RTL launched the first radio broadcast dedicated to sports betting called 'On Joue Le Match', sponsored by FDJ as part of an 18-month strategic partnership.
FDJ also recently launched a new TV show on channel France2 named Côte & Match after its sports betting product, which is intended to help FDJ acquire a larger share of the sports betting market ahead of its liberalisation.
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