(AFP / ALAIN JOCARD)
La Française des jeux (FDJ) published increased results in 2023, driven by the takeovers of the Irish lottery and the betting operator ZEturf but also by the good dynamic of online games.
The group recorded a net profit of 425 million euros for the year, up 38% compared to 2022, and a turnover of 2.62 billion euros, up 6.5%. , according to a press release published Thursday.
Excluding the acquisitions of the horse racing and sports betting site ZEturf and the Irish lottery, turnover increased by 2.8%.
The FDJ garnered 21.2 billion in bets – 20.9 billion at constant scope – compared to 20.6 billion in 2022, the managers specified during a presentation to the press.
“Our diversified model allows us to generate growth, and external growth allows us to sustain it over the long term,” commented the group’s president Stéphane Pallez, welcoming a “very good performance”.
After the acquisitions of Premier Lotteries Ireland and ZEturf in 2023, the group will focus in 2024 on the acquisition of the Swedish Kindred (Unibet), announced at the end of January.
“We hope that it will come to fruition by the end of this year to transform the company from 2025. The new company will change scale, will be more international and more digital,” detailed the manager.
This takeover bid, which will be open from February 20 to November 19, is subject to obtaining regulatory authorizations, in particular from the Competition Authority in France.
The new group, a “European champion with a diversified profile”, would weigh 8 billion euros in gross gaming product (GRP, difference between players’ stakes and their winnings) and would operate “exclusively on regulated markets”, assured Ms. Pallez, even if it means losing Ebitda (gross operating surplus).
For 2024, the FDJ is targeting an increase “of the order of 5%” in turnover from lottery, sports betting and online gaming activities in France, and “of the order of 8%” overall.
– Sports year –
The year 2024 is marked by numerous important sporting events (African Cup of Nations, Euro 2024, Paris 2024 Olympic Games), an opportunity for the FDJ to “capitalize on the enrichment of its offer” even if “the level high margin recorded on sports betting in 2023 does not seem to be able to be renewed” in 2024.
In 2023, sports betting and competitive online games (poker) saw their turnover increase by 10.9%, to 518 million euros.
As for the lottery, of which the FDJ holds a monopoly, turnover increased by 1.1% in 2023 to 1.93 billion euros, benefiting from the success of the new Eurodreams game but penalized by the low number of high jackpot Euromillions draws and the revised formula of the Amigo game, to comply with a decision by the regulator.
In the physical network (tobacco bars, press points, etc.), the main distribution channel, the net gaming product (GRP net of public deductions) increased by 2%. It jumped 19% online where the FDJ now generates 13% of its activity.
Of the 27 million customers claimed by the group, 5 million play online.
Asked about the regulator’s wish to be able to identify players at points of sale, Ms. Pallez estimated that the project would take “time” and that it would be a “voluntary identification of players” in order to fight against gambling. excessive, without impact on the group’s activity.
In the physical network, the FDJ has also been offering a bill payment activity since 2020 which is “developing dynamically”, according to Ms. Pallez.
The group will propose a dividend increasing by 30% to 1.78 euros per share at the general meeting on April 25.