La Française des Jeux (FDJ) has reported a 5.1% year-on-year rise in revenue for the third quarter of its financial year after experiencing growth across all areas of its business.
Revenue for the three months to 30 September amounted to €529m (£449/$614m), up from €504m in the corresponding period last year, while stakes also increased by 3.6% to €4.54bn.
Though FDJ did not disclose full financial figures in the update, it did reveal that revenue from its sports betting business was up 7% year-on-year, despite a 3% drop in stakes.
FDJ put the decline in stakes down to an unfavourable comparison base, with Q3 last year having benefited from the rescheduling of a number of major sporting events after the calendar was interrupted by the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
Lottery games revenue also increased 4% year-on-year, driven by a 6% rise in stakes. Instant games stakes jumped 8% to €2.2bn, while draw games stakes also edged up 2% to €1.4bn, helped by favourable Loto events.
FDJ also noted that stakes overall were up across all distribution channels, including a 2% increase in points of sale stakes to more than €4.0bn, and a 20% jump in online stakes to almost €500m for the quarter.
Player winnings in Q3 amounted to €3.1bn, up 3% on last year, while gross gaming revenue – stakes less player winnings – increased by 5% to €1.4bn.
“The good recovery in our business seen in the second quarter has continued, both online and in our point-of-sale network, with a 5% increase in third-quarter revenue,” FDJ chief executive and chairwoman Stéphane Pallez said.
“We are confident that we will achieve our full-year objectives and we have faith in our sustainable growth strategy, which combines financial performance and responsible gaming commitment.
“In the meantime, FDJ Group has recently renewed its support for the most vulnerable groups, in the form of an exceptional €2m programme in favour of young people hit hard by the health crisis.”
For the year to date, revenue at FDJ for the nine months through to the end of September amounted to €1.61bn, an increase of 7.5% on the previous year, while overall stakes also climbed 8.9% to €13.70bn.
Sports betting revenue for the period increased by 17%, helped by a 25% rise in stakes to €2.56bn. Lottery games revenue also climbed 5%, while stakes grew 5% to €9.98bn, split €6.02bn across instant games and €4.00bn for draw games.
Players wagered a total of €11.77bn at points of sales during the period, as well as €2.45bn online, winning €8.57bn in the process.
Reflecting on its performance in the period, FDJ said it expects to achieve full-year revenue of €2.2bn, based on stakes of approximately €18.8bn, while its earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation margin should be greater or equal to 22%.
