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La Française des Jeux : Revenue up 4% in Nine Months: Acquisition of ZEturf Completed at the End of September Acquisition of PLI to Be Completed in Early November
La Française des Jeux (FDJ), France’s leading gaming operator, announces its revenue for the nine months to end September 2023.
Stéphane Pallez, Chairwoman and CEO of FDJ Group, said: “Our growth remains solid, with strong players’ demand, even though it has been affected by the low number of Euromillions high jackpot draws. At the same time, the completion of the acquisition of ZEturf at the end of September and the forthcoming closing of Premier Lotteries Ireland acquisition in November illustrate our strategy of internationalisation and diversification. We are delighted that the teams of these two operators are joining FDJ and that these operations will contribute to the Group’s sustainable and profitable growth.”
- Revenue to end September of €1,875 million, up 3.9% and 1.3% on a like-for-like basis
At the end of September, gross gaming revenue (GGR) stood at €4,808 million, stable compared with 2022. After €3,044 million in public levies, net gaming revenue (NGR)3 totalled €1,771 million, up 0.8% based on a 2.0% increase in stakes.
Including income from other activities of €103 million, up more than 10% on a like-for-like basis, Group revenue to end September 2023 came to €1,875 million, up 3.9%.
On a like-for-like basis, sales rose by 1.3%. It rose 4.6%, in line with the first half, excluding Euromillions, which was particularly affected by the low number of high jackpot draws, especially in the 3rd quarter, and excluding Amigo, which was relaunched at the beginning of June with a revised formula in accordance with the regulator’s decision.
In the 3rd quarter, revenue totalled €586 million, down 1% and 3% on a like-for-like basis.
- By distribution channel and activity
- By distribution channel
Stakes in points of sale increased 0.8% to €13,278 million, supported by sports betting and instant games, and despite Amigo and Euromillions impact.
Digital stakes are continuing to grow, driven by all businesses. They were up 10.6% to €2,011 million, a performance attributable in large part to the increase in the number of players. Excluding Euromillions, online lottery stakes rose by more than 12%. Online stakes account for more than 13% of total stakes.
- Lottery
Lottery revenue totalled €1,407 million down 1.2%, based on a slight increase in stakes, but up 3% excluding Amigo and Euromillions.
Driven in particular by the success of launches and relaunches, such as Carré Or in January and Numéro Fétiche in May, instant games stakes rose by more than 4%.
The almost 6% drop in the stakes for draw games is attributable to the lower number of high jackpot Euromillions draws (19 at 2023 September-end compared to 32 at 2022 September-end), particularly noticeable in the third quarter, and the full impact of the new Amigo draw launched at the beginning of June and in line with the decision of the French National Gaming Authority.
Excluding Euromillions and Amigo, draw stakes are up 1% and lottery stakes more than 3% compared with 2022, an “exceptional” year for draw games, especially Euromillions with stakes up by almost +20% to the end of September 2022. Overall, the appeal of this game remains strong, with stakes up by almost +10% compared with 2019, following its relaunch in the first quarter of 2020.
The discrepancy between growth in stakes and growth in revenue is mainly due to Euromillions, which has a high rate of conversion of stakes into revenue.
- Sports betting and online gaming open to competition
Revenue of sports betting and online gaming open to competition totalled €360 million, an increase of 9.3% in line with growth in stakes. The player payout ratio in the third quarter is very close to that at the end of June and that recorded at the end of September 2022.
Business growth, strong both at the point of sale and online, benefited from the continuing momentum of the FIFA World Cup at the end of 2022, despite a slightly less favourable football calendar in the 3rd quarter of 2023.
The acquisitions of ZEturf and Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI) strengthen FDJ’s model
- ZEturf completes FDJ’s online gaming offering, making it the 4th largest operator in the French sports betting and online gaming open to competition, with a market share of over 10%
ZEturf is the 2nd largest online horse betting operator in France, with a market share of around 20%. This acquisition enables the FDJ Group to become the 4th largest competitive online gaming operator in France (sports betting, horse betting and poker), with a market share of over 10%. Finalised at the end of September, this acquisition has been consolidated in FDJ’s accounts since 1 October.
In order to benefit fully from the potential of the merger with ZEturf and the synergies within its online business open to competition, and in accordance with the commitments made to the French Competition Authority, FDJ will adopt a new organisation for this business.
With 2022 revenue exceeding €50 million, ZEturf:
– Doubles the revenue of FDJ’s online gaming business open to competition;
– And will have an accretive effect on the sports betting and online gaming open to competition BU’s contribution margin from 2025.
- PLI: First step in the international B2C lottery with strong prospects
The acquisition of Premier Lotteries Ireland, the Irish national lottery operator, is a major step in the deployment of the FDJ Group’s international strategy. On 3 October, the Irish lottery regulator gave the go-ahead for the deal, which is due to be finalised in early November, when PLI will be consolidated by FDJ.
In 2022, Premier Lotteries Ireland recorded gross gaming revenue (GGR) of €399 million and revenue of €140 million, with an EBITDA margin comparable to that of FDJ.
The strategic plan currently being drawn up jointly aims to accelerate PLI’s growth and increase its profitability, based on sharing best practice between the two operators in order to:
– Capitalise on FDJ’s experience to drive PLI’s instant games portfolio;
– Boost the player base for draw games;
– And continue to improve the digital experience for Irish players.
2023 Outlook
In Q4, the Group expects:
– In sports betting and online gaming open to competition, sales virtually unchanged, reflecting the continued momentum since the start of the year, with a high basis for comparison due to the FIFA World Cup at the end of 2022;
– And for the lottery, sales growth driven by non-Amigo draw games, with several events including the launch of the EuroDreams draw game, and by instant games.
For 2023 as a whole, FDJ is targeting revenue growth of around 5%, i.e. between 1.5% and 2% on a like-for-like basis, with a current EBITDA margin rate maintained at around 24% thanks to tight control of costs.
– At the end of July, the Group had announced 2023 revenue growth targets of over 5%, and over 3% on a like-for-like basis, with a current EBITDA margin maintained at around 24%.
The Group will also benefit from a high level of financial income, expected to almost double the figure recorded at the end of June, and reiterates its commitment to distribute between 80% and 90% of its consolidated net income.
The Group’s next financial communication
The Group will report its 2023 results on Thursday, 15 February 2024, before market opening.
Appendix
|
In millions of euros |
Q3 2023 |
Q3 2022 |
Var. |
|
|
|
|
|||
|
Stakes |
4,802 |
4,945 |
-2,9% |
|
|
o/w online stakes |
679 |
643 |
+5,6% |
|
|
|
|
|||
|
Revenue |
586 |
592 |
-1,1%* |
|
|
o/w lottery |
449 |
478 |
-6,0% |
|
|
o/w sports betting and online gaming open to competition |
103 |
97 |
+6,4% |
|
*-3.4% vs. Q3 2022 pro forma, including the acquisitions of Aleda and L’Addtion
Latest News
A large-scale $1 billion online casino shady scheme involving Ukrainian fraudsters Vadim Gordievsky and Alyona Suvorova has been discovered in Kazakhstan.
The Kazakhstan Financial Monitoring Agency has revealed a large-scale shady scheme with a whole layer of cross-border transfers. While referring to the press service of the Agency, Elordainfo.kz informs that numerous bank employees and 120 people from several countries were involved in the operation of the shady scheme.
The money was sent to various payment organizations, disguised as legal transactions, and was later withdrawn to numerous online casinos.
At the same time, local authorities managed to eliminate the call center, which employed foreigners, which provided technical support for four online casinos as well as advice on money transactions. In addition, the organizers of the call center created a gambling partnership program that was used to accept payments and withdraw them in cryptocurrencies. The overall turnover exceeded 200 million USDT.
During the implementation of all these measures, over 70 searches were conducted. As a result of these activities, local authorities managed to gather physical evidence as well as to detain nine suspects.
According to law enforcement authorities in Kazakhstan, the key organizer of the shady miscoding scheme is Ukrainian Vadim Ivanovich Gordievsky, born in 1974. He led this organized crime group and used the local Marginplus company for these purposes (marginplus.kz). In addition to companies from Kazakhstan, Gordievsky also worked with illegal Russian online casinos while helping them to facilitate payments.
Already in 2008, Vadim Gordievsky served as deputy head of the Boryspil Regional State Administration and was in charge of land issues. Under Gordievsky, various lands of Boryspil were sold while the money was stolen. In the same 2008, he was dismissed from his position with a huge scandal, but his case never resulted in criminal proceedings. A lot of money and connections in government offices helped him avoid accountability.
In 2012, when Viktor Yanukovych came to power, Vadim Gordievsky took the chair of the head of the highway service in the Odessa region, where he managed to get access to millions of dollars, which he later invested in FC Alta Capital.
After the initiation of criminal cases for financial crimes, fraud, and the announcement of his wanted list by the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Vadim Gordievsky left Ukraine on forged documents.
According to investigators, Gordievsky’s partner, Mikhail Kovalev (Mykhaylo Kovalov), who has a number of companies in the EU, in particular, in Poland and a residence permit in Spain, was closely working with Gordievsky. By using numerous fictitious companies in Poland, in particular, STABLEX SOLUTION Sp. z o. o (solvexs.pl) he engaged in illegal payments and cash withdrawal in cryptocurrencies.
His partner, who is also his former Kyivstar employee, Alyona (Olena) Suvorova (born in 1983), who left Ukraine for Moscow after February 2022, and Ukrainian IT specialist Denis Andreevich Rykov (born in 1990), who currently lives in St. Petersburg, also participated in the shady scheme of illegal bookmakers and dubious payments.
Judging by her social media accounts, Alyona Suvorova is currently positioning herself “as an entrepreneur, investor, and crypto trader with 5+ years of experience.” According to Suvorova herself, she has been developing payment technologies in the field of FinTech for 10 years. In 2021, she opened her own business for international crypto transfers. In addition, she is the founder of the Lemoncoin Crypto Academy.
The law enforcement agencies of Kazakhstan are asking for information about the location and data of all these people. In the near future, Vadim Gordievsky, Alyona Suvorova, and other defendants will be put on the international wanted list. According to local laws, they face up to nine years in prison.
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El mundo de las apuestas deportivas y el gaming está a punto de experimentar una gran sacudida con el lanzamiento de Goal2Win, el innovador nuevo juego de números de GoldenRace, diseñado para cautivar a la masiva audiencia global del fútbol.
Goal2Win tiende un exitoso puente entre la pasión universal por el deporte rey y la probada emoción de las predicciones basadas en números, ofreciendo a los operadores un producto nuevo y de alto potencial para la monetización.
Goal2Win es una oferta de primer nivel que toma el formato familiar y clásico de los juegos de números y lo integra con una dinámica temática centrada en el fútbol. Esta combinación única hace que el juego sea instantáneamente reconocible, pero a la vez emocionante y nuevo, atrayendo tanto a apostadores deportivos experimentados como a recién llegados que buscan una experiencia atractiva y simplificada.
Goal2Win es la apuesta de GoldenRace entre la innovación y la tradición. Ofrece a los operadores un producto que aprovecha el inmenso alcance del fanatismo por el fútbol, a la vez que ofrece la jugabilidad sencilla y atractiva y el potencial de ganancias masivas que se espera de un juego de números de primer nivel. Es una mezcla convincente de emoción, simplicidad y un potencial de recompensa significativo.
Características clave que impulsan la fidelización y las ganancias potenciales
Goal2Win está diseñado para la máxima retención de jugadores y altas apuestas, con una jugabilidad dinámica y potentes características:
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Función multiplicadora: Los jugadores pueden realizar el mismo conjunto de apuestas en una impresionante cantidad de veintidós eventos consecutivos, lo que aumenta significativamente las ganancias potenciales y asegura una fidelización sostenida a lo largo del tiempo.
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Jackpots y Mega Jackpots: El juego incluye ganancias escalonadas con jackpots estándar y los codiciados Mega Jackpots, que prometen sumas que pueden cambiar la vida y actúan como un poderoso motivador para el jugador.
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Selecciones rápidas: Para un acceso rápido a la acción, la opción de Selecciones rápidas permite al sistema elegir números al azar, agilizando el proceso de apuesta para los jugadores.
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Selector de Fila/Columna: Mejorando la experiencia del usuario, los botones selectores permiten a los jugadores elegir fácilmente una fila o columna completa de números, simplificando las apuestas sofisticadas.
Goal2Win representa una oportunidad única para que los operadores aprovechen la inmensa base de aficionados al fútbol global con un producto que es a la vez innovador y reconocible al instante. Está listo para convertirse en una oferta básica, impulsando apuestas más altas y atrayendo a una demografía más amplia a la cartera de los operadores.
The post GoldenRace lanza Goal2Win, una fusión entre el fútbol y los juegos de números appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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Wrap up warm this festive season with some retro-inspired slot action
Popular iGaming content provider BGaming invites you to cosy up to the fire and hit spin with the release of Totally Hot. This dynamic new title combines classic slot elements with modern gameplay mechanics.
Taking into account its December launch, BGaming dressed up the game for the season: the action is brought to life with bold visuals and festive animations, with roaring hot flames filling the background and Christmas candy canes bordering the reels. Totally Hot will revert to its original version when the holiday season is over.
It is not only the game’s visuals that have been given a modern makeover. Totally Hot deploys a pay-both-ways payment mechanic across its 5×3 game grid, giving players the chance to win with matching combinations in both directions across the reels. Wins go from left-to-right, right-to-left, and even begin in the middle of the reels.
There is also the potential for a festive treat to drop in the middle of the grid in the form of an Expanding Wild, holding players’ attention with the action on every spin.
Totally Hot keeps the good times rolling thanks to a low-volatility maths model that entertains players with frequent wins. This is complemented by an extremely attractive RTP of 97.21%.
Vasili Pauliuchenko, Game Producer at BGaming, said, “The holidays are here, and we wanted to provide our players with the bright and warm gift of nostalgia this Christmas. Totally Hot has been designed to captivate new players and seasoned classic slot lovers alike, keeping them engaged with wins coming from literally every direction.
The game’s blazing vibes and low volatility serve up plenty of laid-back fun.”
The post Experience Classic Slot Thrills this Christmas With BGaming’s Totally Hot appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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