Industry News

La Française des Jeux (FDJ) Announces its 2020 Results

Published

5 years ago

February 15, 2021

Niji Narayan

Reading Time: 2 minutes

La Française des Jeux (FDJ), France’s leading gaming operator, has announced its 2020 results.

After the significant impact of the health crisis on the first half, which saw stakes fall by 18%, the gradual recovery during the summer was confirmed throughout the second half, with an increase of 3%. Over the year, FDJ recorded €16 billion in stakes, a decline of 7% compared with 2019.

Loto and Euromillions demonstrated their resistance, with a 6% increase in stakes to €3.2 billion. Amigo was heavily impacted, notably by its suspension during the first lockdown, recording a decline of more than 30%. Stakes on instant games, down 6% at €7.7 billion, were also affected by the impact of the health crisis on point-of-sale footfall. In total, lottery stakes were down 6% at €12.7 billion.

The decline in sports betting was limited to 10% to €3.2 billion over the year, thanks to growth of 20% in the second half, compared to the second half of 2019, following a decline of early 40% in the first half.

Stakes in the point-of-sale network were stable in the second half, after declining by more than 20% in the first half. FDJ provided support and assistance to its distribution network of nearly 30,000 points of sale.

Online stakes continued their strong momentum, with a further annual growth of nearly 40%, driven by digital lottery, up more than 60% at over €1.1 billion.

Revenue declined by 6% to €1,920 million. EBITDA totalled €427 million, representing a margin of 22.2% of revenue. EBITDA was preserved thanks notably to the implementation of a savings plan of more than €80 million.

Net profit amounted to €214 million. This compares with a net adjusted profit of €202 million for 2019, net of tax and adjusted for the new fiscal and regulatory framework effective from the beginning of 2020, the impact of exceptional long lottery cycles, Sporting Group’s full-year results, and expenses related to the Group’s IPO.

In 2020, the Group strengthened its financial structure, thanks to an EBITDA to cash conversion ratio maintained at over 80%, with available cash in excess of €1 billion at year-end.

FDJ’s Board of Directors will propose the payment of a dividend of 80% of the consolidated net profit to the Annual General Meeting of 16 June 2021, as the Group committed to do at the time of its IPO. The dividend of €0.90 per share will be paid on 23 June 2021.

“2020 was an unprecedented and contrasted year during which FDJ demonstrated resilience and solidarity. The health crisis had a particularly strong impact on our business in the first half. But the recovery in the second half, combined with the Group’s responsiveness and relevant digital strategy, enabled us to preserve our performance and annual results. I would like to thank our employees for their commitment, and to renew our support for our network of retailers, some of which have been severely impacted. As 2021 gets started, while uncertainties persist, the Group remains confident in its prospects for sustainable growth, consistent with its raison d’être,” Stéphane Pallez, Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer of FDJ group, said.

Expanse Studios

Expanse Studios Launches Super Heli Premium Across Core Markets

Published

5 hours ago

January 30, 2026

Wladimir P.

expanse-studios-launches-super-heli-premium-across-core-markets

Expanse Studios, a subsidiary of Golden Matrix Group Inc., has launched Super Heli Premium, an expanded version of its flagship crash game now live across core markets.

Super Heli Premium introduces four new gameplay mechanics designed to broaden player appeal and increase session engagement. The additions address operator demand for content that retains players without requiring promotional spend.

New Game Modes

Over/Under allows players to predict whether the crash multiplier will land above or below a set threshold, with maximum bet multipliers up to 24x. The mode rewards pattern recognition and adds a prediction layer to the base crash mechanic.

Range betting requires players to predict the multiplier range where the helicopter’s flight will end. Wider ranges offer lower payouts with reduced risk. Narrower ranges increase volatility and potential returns. The mechanic gives conservative and aggressive players different optimal strategies within the same game.

50% Cash-Out enables partial exits during active rounds. Players can secure half their stake at any multiplier while keeping the remaining half in play. The feature reduces all-or-nothing pressure and extends average session length.

Auto Play and Auto Cash-Out provide preset betting parameters for players who prefer hands-off gameplay across multiple rounds.

Regional Customisation

Operators can deploy market-specific visual themes (US, Greece, Egypt, Brazil, Japan) without changing core mechanics or RTP. The customisation supports localised marketing campaigns and cultural preferences across different jurisdictions.

The game maintains a 97% RTP across all modes and themes, matching the original Super Heli’s player return rate while adding strategic depth through the new mechanics.

Market Context

The original Super Heli became one of the most requested titles in European iGaming within months of launch, with operators reporting session lengths above industry averages and retention metrics “materially better than category norms”.

Super Heli Premium positions the title as a platform rather than a single game variant. Operators can configure volatility, bet limits and visual themes to match specific player demographics without requiring separate game integrations.

Expanse Studios currently operates across 1300+ B2B partnerships globally, with over 300 new operators added in Q3 2025 alone. Super Heli Premium expands the studio’s portfolio to 66 proprietary titles, all 100% owned IP with no licensing dependencies.

The game is now live across Expanse’s operator network in core markets globally.

The post Expanse Studios Launches Super Heli Premium Across Core Markets appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Champions League

Flashscore reveals data behind thrilling night of Champions League action

Published

1 day ago

January 29, 2026

Wladimir P.

flashscore-reveals-data-behind-thrilling-night-of-champions-league-action

New data from Flashscore, the world’s leading platform for live scores and sports content, reveals that almost 34,000,000 users tuned in yesterday for one of the most dramatic nights in UEFA Champions League history.

The intensity of the matches generated a massive wave of digital engagement, with 18 matches all taking place at the same time on the final day of the league format.

From the football-mad streets of Brazil to the frozen research stations of Antarctica, fans across 239 countries and territories checked their phones as Benfica’s goalkeeper scored a 98th-minute header and Real Madrid crashed into the playoffs.

Martin Matejka, Marketing Director of Flashscore, said: “Yesterday wasn’t just a matchday; it was a global event and we were well prepared. When game-changing moments decide matches – from a goalkeeper’s stoppage-time header against Real Madrid to last-minute winners across Europe – the world doesn’t just watch, it reacts. Flashscore sent out over 700 million push notifications to our users as drama unfolded across the continent.

“Our data shows unprecedented engagement from all over the world, and I am glad we could bring these extraordinary moments to fans from Brazil to Antarctica.”

TOP MATCHES ranked by number of users

The drama at the Estádio da Luz dominated the global conversation, with nearly 10 million users following the Benfica-Madrid clash alone.

1 Benfica vs. Real Madrid (9,7M users): The undisputed main event. Fans flocked to the match detail as Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin scored a historic 98th-minute header to seal a 4-2 win, sending Real Madrid to the playoffs.

2 Barcelona vs. FC Copenhagen (8,3M users): Massive interest as Barcelona thrashed the Danes 4-1 to secure direct qualification to the Round of 16.

3 Napoli vs. Chelsea (5,9M users): A rollercoaster in Naples. Chelsea fought back to win 3-2, eliminating Napoli despite a stunning “Maradona-esque” pirouette goal from Antonio Vergara.

TOP PLAYERS ranked by number of users

1. Jorginho (995K users): The Kairat Almaty midfielder trended globally after scoring a penalty against his former club, Arsenal, at the Emirates Stadium—a major talking point that drove nearly 1 million profile views.

2. Anatoliy Trubin (725K users): The unlikeliest hero. The Benfica goalkeeper’s stoppage-time header against Real Madrid sent his profile traffic into the stratosphere.

3. Andreas Schjelderup (368K users): The 21-year-old Norwegian announced himself to the world with a brace against Real Madrid.

4. Kylian Mbappé (317K users): Even in defeat, the superstar commanded attention and ranked 4th. He scored twice for Madrid, but his team’s collapse was the bigger story.

TOP TEAMS ranking by users:

1. Real Madrid (1,6M users): The “Kings of Europe” falling into the playoff round after a chaotic 4-2 loss drove massive traffic.

2. Benfica (1,1M users): The victors of the night. Their miraculous comeback and “goalkeeper goal” made them the second most-clicked team worldwide.

3. Barcelona (930K users): Solid interest as they cruised to victory and the next round.

Flashscore Global Reach

While Brazil was the single most active nation, the traffic was evenly split across continents: In Europe the huge engagement was driven by fans in Italy, France, Poland, United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, and Germany.
Africa’s continent showed massive interest, led by Nigeria, Ghana, and Ivory Coast. Football fever also swept across Asia, with significant user numbers from Indonesia, Kazakhstan, South Korea, and Uzbekistan.
The obsession reached the most remote corners of the Earth. Flashscore recorded active users from Antarctica and Christmas Island, proving that even in the most isolated locations, fans refused to miss the drama.

The post Flashscore reveals data behind thrilling night of Champions League action appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.

Hunter Hunstock

Playersoft Announces Remote Enrollment to Enable Hardware-Agnostic, Cloud-Driven Player Signups Anywhere

Published

1 day ago

January 29, 2026

GamingAmericas.com

Playersoft has announced Remote Enrollment, a progressive web app that allows casino teams to enroll guests from virtually any location using any mobile hardware. By leveraging a cloud-driven architecture, Remote Enrollment supports true off-site capability for prospecting and remote sign-up.

Why it matters

Traditional enrollment workflows often depend on specific hardware, on-property connectivity, or fixed stations that can create bottlenecks and limit enrollment opportunities outside the property. Remote Enrollment removes those constraints with a hardware-agnostic progressive web app and cloud-driven architecture—while retaining the consistent, intuitive user experience Playersoft is known for.

What Remote Enrollment delivers

• A progressive web app that runs on virtually any mobile hardware—no special devices required.

• Cloud-driven operations to support off-site prospecting and remote signups.

• A dedicated prospecting feature that enables customer communication and information capture without creating accounts or introducing incomplete data into the player system.

• Conversion tracking from prospect to enrolled player to support measurable outreach efforts.

• Configurable security and policy controls aligned to property requirements.

• Integration with Playersoft ONE for operational oversight and reporting.

“Remote Enrollment is about making it easy for our clients to capture new players wherever the opportunity arises—without sacrificing control, data quality, or usability,” said Hunter Hunstock, President at Playersoft.

Availability:

Remote Enrollment is available now as part of the Playersoft ONE ecosystem.

The post Playersoft Announces Remote Enrollment to Enable Hardware-Agnostic, Cloud-Driven Player Signups Anywhere appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.