FDJ revenues up 5.4%, readying for Euro 2016 sporting landmark

France lottery and sports betting operator Française des jeux has reported a €700m (5.4%) rise in sales to €13.7bn in the past 12 months and said its ‘FDJ 2020’ project to modernise the group was firmly on track.

Sports betting revenues were up 14% to €2.3bn across both offline and online channels, the latter making up 10% of that total.

FDJ said it had launched markets on eight new sports and eight new betting offers linked to its app ParionsSport in time for the Euro 2016 football tournament taking place in France this Summer and the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. The group said it would aim to recruit 400,000 new customers in connection with its Euro 2016 campaigns.

The betting amount represented 17% of the FDJ’s sales total it recorded in 2015 and attracted 3.3 million players, who spent a weekly average of €13.2, against €12.7 in 2014.       

Football was the main sport on which French punters bet and recorded 72% of the stakes, while the 2015 Rugby World Cup saw a threefold increase in bets placed: €19m compared to €6m with the 2011 tournament. 

FDJ said it planned to invest €100m into its FDJ 2020 project, reach €14bn in sales and would continue to invest in innovation start-ups.

Stéphane Pallez, chief executive of FDJ, commented: “By taking up scratch cards, sports betting and digital games, French customers are choosing innovation and digital (products) in 2015. FDJ’s performances this year have placed it in a strong position to realise its digital transformation linked with its 'FDJ 2020' project. The development of our digital know-how will also feed FDJ’s international ambitions, currently the fourth biggest lottery operator worldwide.”