Industry News
La Française des Jeux (FDJ) Announces its 2020 Results
La Française des Jeux (FDJ), France’s leading gaming operator, has announced its 2020 results.
After the significant impact of the health crisis on the first half, which saw stakes fall by 18%, the gradual recovery during the summer was confirmed throughout the second half, with an increase of 3%. Over the year, FDJ recorded €16 billion in stakes, a decline of 7% compared with 2019.
Loto and Euromillions demonstrated their resistance, with a 6% increase in stakes to €3.2 billion. Amigo was heavily impacted, notably by its suspension during the first lockdown, recording a decline of more than 30%. Stakes on instant games, down 6% at €7.7 billion, were also affected by the impact of the health crisis on point-of-sale footfall. In total, lottery stakes were down 6% at €12.7 billion.
The decline in sports betting was limited to 10% to €3.2 billion over the year, thanks to growth of 20% in the second half, compared to the second half of 2019, following a decline of early 40% in the first half.
Stakes in the point-of-sale network were stable in the second half, after declining by more than 20% in the first half. FDJ provided support and assistance to its distribution network of nearly 30,000 points of sale.
Online stakes continued their strong momentum, with a further annual growth of nearly 40%, driven by digital lottery, up more than 60% at over €1.1 billion.
Revenue declined by 6% to €1,920 million. EBITDA totalled €427 million, representing a margin of 22.2% of revenue. EBITDA was preserved thanks notably to the implementation of a savings plan of more than €80 million.
Net profit amounted to €214 million. This compares with a net adjusted profit of €202 million for 2019, net of tax and adjusted for the new fiscal and regulatory framework effective from the beginning of 2020, the impact of exceptional long lottery cycles, Sporting Group’s full-year results, and expenses related to the Group’s IPO.
In 2020, the Group strengthened its financial structure, thanks to an EBITDA to cash conversion ratio maintained at over 80%, with available cash in excess of €1 billion at year-end.
FDJ’s Board of Directors will propose the payment of a dividend of 80% of the consolidated net profit to the Annual General Meeting of 16 June 2021, as the Group committed to do at the time of its IPO. The dividend of €0.90 per share will be paid on 23 June 2021.
“2020 was an unprecedented and contrasted year during which FDJ demonstrated resilience and solidarity. The health crisis had a particularly strong impact on our business in the first half. But the recovery in the second half, combined with the Group’s responsiveness and relevant digital strategy, enabled us to preserve our performance and annual results. I would like to thank our employees for their commitment, and to renew our support for our network of retailers, some of which have been severely impacted. As 2021 gets started, while uncertainties persist, the Group remains confident in its prospects for sustainable growth, consistent with its raison d’être,” Stéphane Pallez, Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer of FDJ group, said.
11 experienced people managers from the SKS365 group’s 4 locations gathered last week in Belgrade for the new GROW People Management Program. From 15 th to 19 th of April, through trainings, discussions, and social connections, people had the opportunity to further grow individually and as a team, while enjoying Belgrade’s city center and rivers.
Created in 2023 with the purpose of building foundation people management skills across the organization, GROW initiative evolved this year by including a new, advanced program for experienced people managers to further consolidate their skills and prepare for future opportunities.
Building and fostering connections, sharing experiences, and enjoying team building experiences – all these activities have been part of the GROWpmp agenda for the 11 people managers coming from Commercial, Product and Development, Finance, and Sportsbook departments of the group’s 4 locations – Malta, Italy, Austria, Serbia.
GROWpmp included a variety of topics that people managers in SKS365 recognized as the key areas for management development. Topics such as influence through communication, team effectiveness, DEI, through to presentation skills and business topics like understanding finance and management reporting, were delivered with the support of external professionals and internal experts, while designed and organized by the SKS365 People & Culture team.
The post SKS365 keeps investing in people: GROW People Management Program took the next level appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Bragg is going to attend the SBC Summit North America taking place at the Meadowlands exposition center, New Jersey in May.
“See you in the Garden State to discuss how Bragg’s full-service suite of market leading iGaming content and technology solutions can be tailored to suit the demands of the U.S. market. Connect with members of the team to learn ways Bragg can accelerate your business with our technology, content and managed services solutions. Discover more about our award-winning Player Account Management (PAM), which is leading the way across the European market and in multiple regulated markets. Learn how our cutting-edge content aggregation RGS which already integrates a host of casino, sportsbook and lottery operators and is supported by our leading gamification product Fuze,” the Company said.
Participate in an insightful discussion
Join Bragg Group Director of Content Doug Fallon and fellow panelists at SBC Summit North America to discuss how game design can be leveraged to deliver profitable products in the iGaming industry.
Don’t miss this great panel discussion “Game Design 101: Launching a Profitable Product” taking place on iGaming Stage 3 at 16:00 on Wednesday, May 8.
DraftKings announced the appointment of Lori Kalani as Chief Responsible Gaming Officer reporting to DraftKings’ chief executive officer, Jason Robins. Kalani becomes DraftKings’ first Chief Responsible Gaming Officer committed to the continued elevation and integration of the company’s player safety and protection activities and initiatives across all facets of its platforms and player communities.
“Responsible gaming is one of our top priorities and it is a core part of our mission to build games that our customers can enjoy responsibly. In this leadership role, Lori will further advance our responsible gaming initiatives and uphold our commitment to setting new industry standards,” Jason Robins, CEO and Co-Founder of DraftKings, said.
Leveraging a systems-based approach, DraftKings’ responsible gaming initiatives utilize, among other things, technology, employee training, evidence-based research, collaboration with third parties and advocacy groups, and comprehensive player education to promote responsible play across all platforms and all player communities, and to provide players with tools to help them manage their play responsibly.
“I have long admired DraftKings’ impact as an entertainment and engagement platform that brings a community of gaming enthusiasts together. Joining DraftKings represents an exciting opportunity for me to bolster the efforts of the company and look for opportunities to reinforce our responsible gaming initiatives. I am eager to partner with colleagues, regulators, industry leaders, and community advocates to further demonstrate DraftKings’ commitment to responsible gaming and promote a healthy gaming environment for all customers,” said Lori Kalani.
Kalani’s extensive experience in consumer protection law and proven accomplishments in developing working relationships with regulators, attorneys general and other key stakeholders will enable her to effectively work alongside DraftKings’ Compliance team to further cultivate DraftKings’ dedication to best-in-class consumer safety and protection practices.
Kalani previously was a partner at the Cozen O’Connor law firm and Co-Chaired the State Attorneys General practice. Her extensive background spans diverse industries including gaming, social media, telecommunications, hospitality and healthcare. Kalani’s nuanced understanding of regulatory environments and her expertise in representing clients in industry-shaping challenges that intersected law, politics, and policy make her the ideal leader to advance DraftKings’ responsible gaming initiatives.
-
Australia4 weeks agoCrown Approved to Retain its Melbourne Licence
-
Australia3 weeks ago
VGCCC Fines Bookmaker MintBet $100,000 for Repeat Breaches of its Responsible Gambling Code of Conduct
-
Africa2 weeks ago
BMM Testlabs Continues Its Expansion in Africa with New Licenses in Botswana and Nigeria to Test Land-Based and Digital Products
-
GAT Expo4 weeks agoPragmatic Play Prepares for GAT Cartagena Gaming Week 2024
-
Compliance Updates3 weeks ago3 Oaks Gaming extends European reach with Romania licence
-
Central Europe3 weeks agoGaming Corps makes key European addition with Fortuna Entertainment Group partnership
-
Press Releases1 week agoOpenBet Powers Record-Breaking 100,000+ Peak Bets per Minute at Grand National 2024
-
Africa3 weeks agoIESF African Regional Qualifiers Host Announced
