French casino operator Barrière Group has entered into a long-term partnership with industry supplier BetConstruct, for the launch of its new online betting platform on 16 September.Barrière Group’s first online gaming product, BarrièreBet, will offer sports betting to players, with horseracing and poker expected to be added later.
The group currently operates 28 land-based casinos, as well as a gaming club, 18 hotels, and around 140 restaurants and bars in France.
The betting platform will be built on BetConstruct’s technology, and will be available on desktop and mobile, including on iOS and Android applications. It will be licensed to operate sports betting by L’Autorité nationale des jeux (ANJ), which oversees gambling activities in France.
“The online gaming market is a new axis of development which will allow the group to consolidate its positions and promote its brands, as well as increase our brand awareness toward our new players and retain our land-based casino customers,” Barrière Group chairman and chief executive Dominique Desseigne said.
BetConstruct founder and CEO, Vigen Badalyan, added: “With a remarkable journey that began back in 1912, Barrière has gone through many eras of growth and transformation to establish itself as one of the market leaders in French casinos.
“Now they seek to leverage the strength of their brand and their expertise to make the transition to online and we are happy to partner with them as they look to realise their online ambitions. We wish Barrière hundreds of years of success and growth in the online world.”
France’s online gambling market reported a 5.6% year-on-year decline in revenue for the second quarter of 2020, after the sports betting vertical saw stakes and revenue plummet as a result of novel coronavirus (Covid-19).
However, growth in the first quarter of 2020, coupled with a resilient performance from betting on racing and stellar quarter for poker in Q2, meant that online gaming revenue grew 8.3% in the first half.
