SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Groupe Française des Jeux (FDJ) has reorganised its executive committee to reflect its expanded business following a series of strategic acquisitions.
The period from 2022 to 2023 saw the Paris Euronext-listed gambling group acquire Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI) for €350m and the French horseracing betting group ZEturf for €175m.
M&A activities continued in 2024, with FDJ undertaking its biggest acquisition to date, acquiring the pan-European Kindred Group Plc for €2.4bn.
The integration of Kindred’s brands and technologies sees FDJ pursuing its objective of becoming Europe’s most highly valued gambling Plc, operating its lottery and online gambling portfolio across fully regulated markets to enhance its status as a “European Champion“.
These changes require FDJ to establish a new operating structure, consisting of four primary business units. FDJ will report on:
- The France Home Unit, responsible for the FDJ lottery and its retail network, as well as the sportsbook activities of Parions Sports.
- Online Betting & Gaming, covering the Kindred portfolio and ZEturf racing.
- International Lottery, comprising Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI) and additional future international lottery assets.
- Payments & IT, encompassing the activities of FDJ’s Nirio payment network.
“These four business units will be supported by cross-functional departments such as innovation, technology, digital acceleration, data and AI, as well as corporate functions including finance, strategy, legal, CSR, and communications.”
An enlarged FDJ will be led by Stéphane Pallez, Chairwoman and CEO, supported by Pascal Chaffard, Deputy CEO, Finance, Strategy, and Performance.
Nils Andén, former CEO of Kindred Group, will serve as Executive Director of Online Betting and Gaming.
The International Lottery unit will be led by Giovanna D’Esposito, while the French home market business will be overseen by Patrick Buffard, Director of Lottery and Retail Sports Betting in France.
On Thursday, 6 March, FDJ will publish its full-year 2024 results, presenting the first financial accounts combined with Kindred Group result.
Industry analysts and investors are eager to learn more about FDJ’s integration of Kindred’s assets and how the company is leveraging its group-wide technology systems.
However, the integration also presents challenges related to cost controls and synergies, as the expanded business prepares for heightened tax pressures in 2025 across its key markets in France, Sweden, and the Netherlands.
