The French betting and lottery behemoth, Française des Jeux (FDJ), declared that a robust second half of 2020 aided the company in mitigating drops in sales and earnings, enabling it to remain in the black for the year.
The lottery and sports wagering operator announced a 2.8% surge in sales and betting volume in the six months ending December 31, 2020, following an 18.4% decrease in turnover during the initial six months of the year.
This brought FDJ’s total yearly turnover to €159.6 billion (US$193.1 billion), despite a 6.8% decline from the €171.3 billion total in 2019. The 2019 figures have been modified to reflect France’s new fiscal and regulatory structure, the full performance of the sports group, and the costs associated with FDJ’s initial public offering.
Lottery sales reached €127.3 billion, down 6.0%, with instant game revenue at €77.2 billion (down 5.9%) and draw-based game revenue at €50.1 billion (down 6.2%).
FDJ stated that the increase in online lottery sales only partially offset the decline in sales points, particularly in the first half of the year when France implemented a lockdown starting on March 12. Lockdown measures were eased from June onwards, resulting in an improvement in activity, but a new lockdown was enforced from October 30.
In the previous twelve months, digital lottery sales have surpassed €1.1 billion, representing nearly 9% of the industry’s total wagering volume.
At the same time, sports betting wagers decreased by 10.0% to €3.19 billion. Double-digit growth in the latter half of the year offset a 38.8% decline in the initial six months, which was intensified by the postponement of nearly all sporting events from mid-March to mid-May.
This shift further accelerated the movement of patrons to online platforms, due to the launch of FDJ’s new Parions Sport En Ligne website and the introduction of the Loto Foot 8 and 12 games. FDJ’s online sports betting websites accounted for over 80% of total wagers, compared to 70% in 2019.
“2020 was an extraordinary year, filled with contrasts, and FDJ demonstrated adaptability and unity,” stated Stéphane Pallez, CEO of the operator. “The health crisis had a particularly strong influence on our business in the first half of the year.”
“However, the recovery in the latter half of the year, coupled with the group’s swift response and associated digital strategy, allowed us to maintain performance and annual results,” she stated. “I would like to express my gratitude to our employees for their dedication and reaffirm our support for our retail network, some of whom have been significantly impacted.”
During the previous year, FDJ patrons have won €10.85 billion, resulting in a gross revenue of €5.11 billion, down 6.4%. After subtracting €3.24 billion in public taxes for the operator (including lottery and sports betting rights payments) and €13.9 million in sports betting revenue, its annual net income was €1.
FDJ announced a revenue figure of €880 million, marking a 6.5% decline.
The firm’s business-to-business division, payment services, and entertainment operations contributed an extra €40.9 million in revenue, bringing the total to €1.92 billion. This signifies a 6.3% decrease compared to the previous year.
Nevertheless, restrictions implemented at the start and conclusion of 2020 led to a reduction in operating expenses, attributed to cost-cutting measures implemented by the company in response to the COVID-19 crisis. This resulted in a 28.8% surge in non-recurring operating profit, reaching €324.7 million.
After factoring in €102 million in depreciation and amortization expenditures, FDJ’s EBITDA experienced a slight increase to €427 million.
Non-recurring items associated with internal restructuring costs stabilized the full-year operating profit at €292.7 million, slightly lower than the preceding year. This figure climbed to €298.7 million in pre-tax profit after accounting for FDJ’s share of profits in joint ventures and financial income.
Full-year income tax decreased to €85 million due to tax savings generated by an equity investment capital loss arising from the restructuring of its sports group, acquired in June 2019.
This resulted in a full-year net profit of €213.7 million, representing a 5.9% increase compared to the previous year.
Looking ahead, FDJ stated its intention to concentrate on providing a more comprehensive gaming experience and solidifying its dominant position in the French market.
However, the company added: “Uncertainty persists in 2021.”
Although this is the case, a considerable number of instant game debuts and re-releases are planned for the lottery, and more than ten promotions to enhance special Lotto and EuroMillions draws will be conducted throughout the year, adding excitement to the draw games.
FDJ continues to assert that its online lottery game product expansion will continue, providing innovative and more engaging gaming experiences. In addition to its inherent momentum, sports betting will also benefit from the European Championship and the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, which will add excitement to the event schedule.
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