Banijay has reaffirmed its confidence in heavily regulated European gambling markets, arguing that tighter frameworks in jurisdictions such as France and Germany provide stronger long-term visibility despite tax increases and product restrictions.
In an investor presentation on March 26th, the group said Betclic remains the No.1 online betting operator in France, while Tipico holds the leading position in German betting, whilst Admiral maintains a strong position in Austria.
François Riahi, Banijay’s CEO, told investors that Europe remains one of the most attractive regions for the business, describing it as a market shaped by greater regulatory stability and predictability than the US. He added that the acquisition of Tipico strengthens its sports betting and gaming footprint by adding two more markets where it already holds leading positions.
The strategy reflects a wider industry trend, with larger operators increasingly concentrating on established regulated markets where higher barriers to entry can favour scale players. Banijay is targeting €100m in medium-term synergies from the combination of Betclic and Tipico, including €70m in operating cost savings and around €30m in capex benefits.
Riahi did, however, acknowledge that Germany’s framework remains restrictive, warning that excessive regulation risks pushing activity towards the black market.
On prediction markets, he said Banijay has not seen any meaningful leakage from European sports betting, arguing that the region’s rules leave little room for such products to develop.
