Industry News
La Française des Jeux (FDJ) Announces its 2020 Results
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.
Powered by WPeMatico
appointments
Behind The Gloves forms Advisory Board to scale beyond event activations
Behind The Gloves has formed an official Advisory Board as it moves from event-led activations to what it describes as a scalable, long-term business and community.
The board includes Michael Brady, Founder and Chairman of Bede Gaming and Chairman of Connexus Group; Rob Fell, CEO of RiskCherry; and Katie Byers, former SVP of People and Capability at Light & Wonder.
According to the organisation, the appointments are intended to support expansion into new verticals including corporate wellness programmes, brand partnerships and future digital products.
Behind The Gloves said it plans to continue operating as a “business for good” by reinvesting a portion of profits into community initiatives and charitable causes.
Lee McFarland, Founder of Behind The Gloves, said: “The foundation of our Advisory Board reflects Behind The Gloves’ commitment to building a strong business that can expand globally and reach more people than ever.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Katie, Rob and Michael to the Board and look forward to leveraging our industry’s unmistakable energy to support good causes and deliver accessible activities for all fitness levels on a larger scale.”
The post Behind The Gloves forms Advisory Board to scale beyond event activations appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
Industry News
LuckyCasino launches in Spain as LCKY Group expands B2C footprint
LuckyCasino has gone live in Spain, LCKY Group confirmed, marking the brand’s entry into the regulated market.
The operator said LuckyCasino is the second brand in the LCKY Group portfolio to operate in Spain, following OneCasino. The company positioned the launch as part of its long-term growth plans and noted the brand has previously operated in Sweden.
LCKY Group said the Spanish-facing offering includes more than 2,000 games, alongside localised offers and payment methods. It also claimed the catalogue includes “many LuckyCasino exclusives.”
Mark Schram, MD B2C Central & South Europe at LCKY Group, said: “Everyone at LuckyCasino is looking forward to showing off the mix of variety and innovation that’s made our platform such a huge hit elsewhere.
“With Spain being a key market for us going forward, we’re excited to build on the success LCKY Group has already enjoyed in the country with OneCasino, and we expect our vast selection of content will prove hugely appealing for Spanish customers.”
The post LuckyCasino launches in Spain as LCKY Group expands B2C footprint appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
game studios
Evoplay rolls out Season of Legends campaign with €512,000 spring prize pool
Evoplay has launched Season of Legends, a year-long network campaign built around four seasonal phases, starting with a spring edition carrying a €512,000 prize pool. The spring phase launched in March and runs across March, April and May.
The studio said the new format follows its previous Big Adventures network campaign and is designed to drive sustained engagement through a more structured seasonal approach. Each season runs for three months with new mechanics and prize pools.
A new mechanic, Infinity Prize Drops, will run daily throughout each month and is not tied to tournament windows. The spring edition also includes a Tournament and Wheel of Fortune, each operating in four monthly phases: 1st- 5th, 9th- 13th, 17th- 21st, and 25th- 29th.
Evoplay said the €512,000 spring prize pool will be distributed across the three-month period via a consolidated leaderboard spanning participating operators. Players earn points through qualifying spins on selected Evoplay titles including Hot Triple Sevens, Piggy Bank: 3 Pots Bonanza, and the Penalty Shoot-out series.
Diana Larina, Head of Marketing at Evoplay, said: “Season of Legends marks the next evolution of our network campaigns. With Big Adventures, we saw just how effective long-term engagement can be, and this new format takes that even further.
“By introducing seasonal structure and mechanics like Infinity Drops, we’re giving operators the tools to maintain consistent player activity, rather than relying on short-term spikes. This is just the beginning, and we’re excited to build momentum throughout the year.”
The post Evoplay rolls out Season of Legends campaign with €512,000 spring prize pool appeared first on Eastern European Gaming | Global iGaming & Tech Intelligence Hub.
-
Latest News6 days agoTom Horn Gaming rolls out new slot Reborn of Zeus 3000 with multipliers up to x3000
-
Boris Gartner6 days agoLALIGA Announces Multi-year Partnership with Polymarket
-
Africa6 days agoHollywoodbets partnership drives Tom Horn Gaming’s expansion in South Africa
-
Canada6 days agoIGSA Welcomes New Partner Members: Focal Research and RGC Canada
-
betting innovation4 days agoDATA.BET Expands at SiGMA South America 2026
-
betting platforms5 days agoUS Public Health Debate Intensifies as Boston Hosts Landmark Online Gambling Symposium
-
Compliance Updates6 days agoLicence to Operate: The New Regulatory Frontier in Ireland, Finland and New Zealand
-
Amusnet6 days agoAmusnet Wins Best Game Studio at SiGMA Awards South America 2026



