Betclic, France’s leading online sports betting operator, announces its partnership with the Arkema Première Ligue (APL), the highest level of women’s football in France. Already a partner of the French Women’s National Teams, Betclic confirms its commitment to becoming a strong ally of women’s football.

A league on the rise

For several seasons, the Arkema Première Ligue has been experiencing exceptional momentum. A significant milestone was reached in 2024 with the creation of the Ligue Féminine du Football Professionnel (LFFP), marked by a record 220 players under contract, a highly competitive league, and record attendance and viewership figures. The FFF, which aims to reach 500,000 licensed female players by 2028, has launched an extensive feminization plan, enabling an entire ecosystem to rapidly structure itself, and one Betclic is pleased to be associated with.

A new dimension in the Betclic App

Since its opening to betting in May 2024, the Arkema Première Ligue has risen to first place among national women’s competitions on the Betclic app. Open matches, unpredictable scenarios: women’s football is an exciting new playground for bettors, with live betting accounting for the majority of wagers placed. With around fifty odds available per match, enhanced gaming offers, and numerous activations  around championship fixtures, the Arkema Première Ligue will benefit from strong exposure in Betclic’s communications, particularly through the App which is used by more than 3 million players each month.

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A commitment supporting the diversity of French football

Women’s football is not just a performance field, it’s also a lever for transformation. By supporting the Arkema Première Ligue, Betclic aims to encourage equal opportunities, access to sport for all, and
defend a more inclusive vision of sport. “The APL is a reference championship, where clubs that matter in major competitions compete. We want to be where sport is advancing, where audiences are evolving, where passions are growing. Women’s football ticks all the boxes, and we are proud to contribute to its development alongside Jean-Michel Aulas (President of the LFFP) and Philippe Diallo (President of the FFF),” says Nicolas Béraud, CEO of Betclic.

Jean-Michel Aulas, President of the LFFP: “All indicators are green for the Arkema Première Ligue, which has experienced considerable growth this season. After Arkema’s renewal of its naming partnership, it’s now Betclic’s turn to commit to our championship. The arrival of top-tier economic partners demonstrates the enthusiasm generated by French women’s football and validates the FFF’s commitment to it. Our ambition is to make the Arkema Première Ligue one of the best championships in the world. Support from companies like Betclic helps us greatly in this endeavor.”

Philippe Diallo, President of the FFF: “I am very pleased with Betclic’s commitment to our elite women’s championship. The FFF has high ambitions for the Arkema Première Ligue. Receiving support from a brand as powerful as Betclic is an extremely encouraging sign. This partnership will contribute to the development and recognition of high-level women’s football. The FFF has made feminization an
important axis of its policy. Our partners, like Betclic, fully embrace this. I am delighted by this.”

Betclic and FFHandball: a major alliance to make French Handball shine

Betclic and the French Handball Federation (FFHandball) seal their first partnership running until 2028. An unprecedented alliance to usher handball towards new heights. French handball on top of the world With 9 world crowns and 4 Olympic titles, French handball is the most successful team sport in the world. This enthusiasm for handball is materializing on amateur courts with a record number of licensed players in 2025 (more than 600,000), and behind screens, where the EHF EURO 2024 final was watched by more than 6.5 million viewers.

Betclic bettors increasingly fans of handball

Number one in sports betting in France, Betclic aims to support the world’s best teams and promote French sporting excellence. This partnership will strengthen handball’s visibility among the 3 million monthly players who use the Betclic application, thus offering this sport very strong visibility. Driven by its suspenseful matches and an evolution of betting offers recently validated by the National Gaming Authority, handball is attracting more and more players and now ranks 8th among the most bet-on disciplines on the application, especially thanks to the major events of 2024. While two-thirds of bets are placed on match results, other types of bets are emerging, such as the number of goals scored or the goal difference between teams. And to meet the growing demand from bettors who enjoy live betting, Betclic streams around ten tournaments directly on its application (over 2,000 matches per year), including the Champions League and major handball competitions.

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Education and prevention

With the French national teams and French handball training centers, wherever stakeholder responsibility is involved, awareness-raising initiatives that have been carried out for several years will continue in the coming seasons.

Betclic: New headquarters for handball fans

“Handball embodies everything we love about sport: intensity, collective passion and repeated exploits. With this partnership, Betclic will become a major meeting point for handball fans. By supporting the French national teams and partnering with a modern, popular and high-performing federation, we are commited to sustainably supporting the exceptional momentum that has been initiated by Philippe Bana and his team” confirms Nicolas Béraud, CEO of Betclic.

FFHandball: a strategic partnership to propel French handball

“The French Handball Federation is pleased to announce a partnership with Betclic, Official Supporter of our French national teams until 2028. This partnership is built for the long term and addresses shared challenges: supporting the development of handball and strengthening its visibility among an ever-wider audience. The growing enthusiasm for sports betting on handball demonstrates the increasing appeal of our sport. This partnership allows us to accompany this momentum by creating positive synergies to grow our community together and amplify the visibility of French handball” commented Philippe Bana, President of FFHandball.

Betclic and the French Volleyball Federation: The Smash Continues Until 2028!

Betclic, France’s leading sports betting operator, renews its collaboration with the French Volleyball Federation for four new seasons (2025-2028). This renewal marks Betclic’s reinforced commitment to a sport that is growing in popularity.

French volleyball on the rise

Led by its President, Eric Tanguy and his staff, the French Volleyball Federation has achieved great success in recent years, with two Olympic medals (2021 and 2024) and an historic growth in membership (240,000). The national championships (Men’s and Women’s Ligue A) are gaining momentum, with major transfers and record streaming audiences. Driven by charismatic figures like Earvin Ngapeth or Jenia Grebennikov among the men, and Lucille Gicquel or Héléna Cazaute among the women, volleyball is now establishing itself as a popular phenomenon that thrives on international stages.

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A winning bet on the Betclic app

Volleyball is also attracting an ever-growing number of Betclic players. It now ranks 6th among the most bet-on disciplines on the app, particularly thanks to the 2024 Olympic Games, where the France- Poland final rose to become the second most bet-on event of the Games (excluding major sports). It is the Top 10 sport that has experienced the best betting momentum over the past two years, and more than 15% of Betclic players now bet on this discipline. With its suspenseful matches and dynamic betting offer (betting possible on each point of the match, such as on the player who will score the next point…), volleyball lends itself easily to live-betting, a growing practice among bettors. This partnership will further strengthen volleyball’s visibility among the 3 million monthly Betclic players, thus granting it very strong exposure, particularly through the in-App streaming of around twenty competitions, from the Polish PlusLiga to Marmara Spike League matches, or the Nations League, where our French national team shines.

Three years to make French volleyball shine

In-app campaigns, contests, editorial content, enhanced visibility around key fixtures… All resources will be activated to support the growth of French volleyball and accompany it on the path to true
European recognition. Nicolas Béraud, founder and CEO of Betclic: “French volleyball is experiencing a silent but spectacular revolution, and we are proud to support this beautiful adventure. By partnering again with FFVolley, Betclic reaffirms its lasting commitment alongside a federation in full momentum, driven by historic results and an ambitious vision for the 2028 Olympics”. Eric Tanguy, President of FFVolley: “The renewal of our partnership confirms the growing collaboration in recent years. Volleyball is advancing not only in sports but also in media presence with the French and global public through Betclic’s involvement and investment. Four rich seasons are ahead, the Federation is proud and delighted to be able to experience this alongside Betclic”.

Betclic and the Ligue Nationale de Rugby extend their partnership for the next two TOP 14 seasons!

Betclic, France’s #1 online sports betting operator, and the Ligue Nationale de Rugby (LNR) announce the renewal of their TOP 14 partnership until 2027. Initiated in 2021, this renewed cooperation confirms the shared commitment to elevate French rugby to the highest level.

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A partnership with the world’s most competitive championship

For the past four years, Betclic and the LNR have joined forces to promote the TOP 14 to an ever-growing audience. Full stadiums, rising viewership, French clubs leading the way in Europe, star players: rugby has never been more captivating. With 9 different clubs reaching the playoffs over the last 5 seasons, the TOP 14 continues to enchant the public, with 71% of French people describing it as “spectacular”. Intensity, suspense, drama: the championship thrills both fans… and bettors!

Greater visibility for rugby and for Betclic

With over 3 million users on the Betclic application each month, the TOP 14 enjoys exceptional exposure, now firmly established within the platform’s universe. Betclic users can experience everything that makes rugby so special, with the added bonus of winning tickets to the biggest matches, right in the heart of the stadiums. With more than 300 odds available per match, Betclic offers an unrivalled range of betting options, so much that one in every two bettors now bets on rugby, with the TOP 14 as a major driver. Betclic will also continue to enjoy prominent visibility across all official media in TOP 14 stadiums and throughout the finals.

Supporting excellence, shaping the future

International reach, a broader audience and a sense of responsibility: Betclic is committed to helping to achieve the ambitious goals set by the LNR’s new president, Yann Roubert. As official partner to f the French National Rugby Teams until 2028, Betclic is more than just a rugby sponsor: it’s a committed player, with a strong DNA.

“The TOP 14 is one of the most beautiful championships in the world. This partnership is a source of pride for Betclic and an essential lever to satisfy rugby fans, in France and beyond. Renewing our commitment alongside the LNR means reaffirming our position as a major partner of French sport and participating in writing the next chapter in the history of modern rugby” confirms Nicolas Béraud, CEO of Betclic.

“This renewed partnership with Betclic is a mark of trust and a clear signal of the TOP 14’s appeal. We share the same ambition: to help French rugby grow, reach new audiences and keep innovating to make the TOP 14 ever more spectacular and demanding. This extended partnership is a real opportunity for rugby, for its influence and for all those who love the game” says Yann Roubert, President of the Ligue
Nationale de Rugby.

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National Bingo Week returned for its 5^th year, running from 23^{rd –} 29^th June. It saw the industry come together – all operators – to celebrate the love of the game and the value it brings to all generations. Players were able to celebrate with discounted value sessions, and the festivities concluded with the win of an incredible £100,000 jackpot at Mecca Gateshead on the Sunday.

Research conducted by The Bingo Association revealed a growing disconnect between generations, with nearly a quarter (24%) of young adults aged 18-34 citing they struggle to interact with older generations.

That’s why the theme for this year’s National Bingo Week centred on the value of bingo as a ‘generation game’ – an activity to bridge the generation gap and bring people of all ages together – offering something for everyone, in the hearts of our communities up and down the country.

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🎉 The industry saw attendance success as a result

During National Bingo Week attendance was up by a whopping 16% on the previous week, despite the record-breaking temperatures.

🎗️ Charity

On Friday 25th June, a nationwide charity game was held in support of Variety – The Children’s Charity, bringing in an impressive £20,000.

Within the last six years, bingo fans have helped raise over £2million for the Variety, demonstrating the remarkable spirit of giving within the bingo community.

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👨‍💼 MP visits

17 MPs visited clubs nationwide, including Daniel Francis (Buzz Bingo Bexleyheath), Andrew Western (Club 3000 Old Trafford), and Johanna Baxter (Mecca Bingo Paisley). National Bingo Week also drew interest from 27 more MPs, who have expressed plans to visit clubs in the coming months.

📻 Bingo callers and industry spokespeople take to the airwaves

The generation game story was discussed on regional radio with CEO Miles Baron and 2025’s newly crowned Bingo Caller of the Year, Issy-Mae Hunt from Buzz Bingo, taking to the airwaves for interviews.

With a 10-minute news piece on BBC Breakfast (aired on Friday 4^th July) discussing the resurgence of the younger generation in bingo clubs today with a visit to Mecca Luton talking to their customers. The clip also featured Bingo Benj – another previous Caller of the Year – who even called the numbers live on air.

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The BBC Breakfast clip was picked up by Channel 4’s Celebrity Gogglebox (aired on Friday 11^th July), where it featured in a 3.5-minute segment showcasing celebrities enthusiastically engaging with and discussing their bingo experience.

📱 Social media competition to drive interest

In its first year, The Bingo Association created a National Bingo Week social competition – to encourage all bingo attendees to share pictures of them playing the beautiful game during the week.

🤩 Social media buzz with big name talent joining in

This year’s National Bingo Week had a star-studded line up, with Vanessa Feltz trying her hand out at bingo calling in Luton. During National Bingo Week, she debated on her Channel 5 Daytime Talk Show, Vanessa: Bingo – Is it brilliant or boring?  and within the week, she was invited to try it out for herself. The verdict was that it is resoundingly brilliant.

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Blue’s Duncan James also enjoyed a night out in Feltham with his mum.  Duncan said: “I loved visiting Buzz Bingo with my Mum recently, it was brilliant. There really is something for everyone there. It is one of those games that brings people together of all generations.”

TV presenter Jenny Powell also surprised bingo goers in Manchester.

Miles Baron CEO Bingo Association “This year’s National Bingo Week went to new levels – shining a brilliant light on the contribution that bingo makes to our communities. It truly is a generational game and that is evident with the age of attendees in bingo clubs up and down the country. Although age and lifestyle can sometimes feel like barriers, the desire to spend meaningful time together is something we all share – even if we’re not always sure how to bridge the communication gap. It’s why we wanted to shine a light on a pastime that brings people together regardless of age. Bingo has always been more than just numbers – it’s about connection, conversation and community. Whether you’re 28 or 88 it’s one of the few social activities that everyone can enjoy together.”

Onwards to 2026!