The French Competition Authority (FCA) has given Banijay Group the green light to press on with its expansion in the country’s casino market.
Banijay agreed to acquire JOA Group back in July, the latest in a series of takeovers and mergers which has seen the company emerge as a powerhouse in continental European media and iGaming.
On 7 October 2026, the company went to the FCA with details of its plan to acquire JOA Group and the company’s 33 land-based casino properties – casino being only a physical market in France, with online gambling restricted to sports betting.
This marked the first time in the FCA’s history that it examined a takeover spanning both online gambling and physical gambling, though it has investigated takeovers in each respective sector individually before.
As Banijay’s main gambling asset in France, Betclic, is an online gambling group with a focus on sports betting, horse racing and poker, the FCA concluded that there was no overlap nor competition concerns relating to its takeover of a land-based casino operator.
However, Banijay will have to keep this overlap in consideration as it moves forward.
The FCA has cautioned that Banijay should ensure its strategy and operations remain omnichannel, with “commercial bundling” across activities and appropriate assessment of the impact integrations could have on the market.
Banijay is now positioning itself for further expansion in France, where Betclic is one of the most widely used sports sports betting brands.
Like any betting market, France has its challenges. New taxes imposed in 2025, including a burdensome 59.3% rate on gross gaming revenue (GGR) from online betting, has made matters more difficult.
This has not stopped competition increasing, however, with bet365 launching there this year.
But Banijay’s ambitions extend way beyond France. It became a continental company earlier in the year via the completed takeover of German market leader Tipico, and it is clear the firm has ambitions to carve out substantial share in the EU’s two most populous countries.
