Operator group La Française des Jeux (FJD) hailed the impact of a 40 per cent spike in digital revenue to €201m in boosting overall first-half revenues by 11 per cent to €1.4bn.
Digital now accounts for 15 per cent of FDJ’s total revenue and is being steered by recent acquisitions of PLI and ZEturf.
Revenue of gaming activities in France climbed seven per cent to €1.3bn and lottery revenue rose five per cent to €1bn.
“Exceptionally favourable” sports results, meanwhile, helped push sports betting and online gaming revenue up 15 per cent to €294m.
The sports betting boost played a key role in FDJ’s recurring EBITDA for H1 2024 of €370m, up 23 per cent, as well as a margin of 25.9 per cent.
Net profit climbed 28 per cent to €235m with FDJ therefore confirming previously broadcast targets of an eight per cent rise in group revenue and a five per cent rise in revenue for gaming activities in France.
Stéphane Pallez, chairwoman and CEO of the FDJ Group, said: “The second quarter confirmed the positive trend seen since the beginning of the year thanks to our network of points of sale and to a very strong momentum from digital games, which now account for 15 per cent of group revenue. This solid performance confirms our annual targets.
“In addition, we hope to finalise the acquisition project of Kindred in the near future, thereby marking a major new step in the group’s development, both internationally and in our online sports betting and gaming activity, to the benefit of all our stakeholders.”
FDJ has estimated that it would have recorded combined revenue of around €3.5bn and combined recurring EBITDA of around €840m for the full 2023 financial year if Kindred had been acquired on January 1, 2023, and combined revenue of €1.9bn and combined recurring EBITDA of around €490m for the first half of 2024 if Kindred had been acquired on January 1, 2024.
