SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
The Daily Telegraph has this weekend reported that the governance of Française des Jeux (FDJ) has held private discussions with investment bank Rothschild to assess options to compete in the UK National Lottery 2020 tender.
A confident FDJ eyes its future opportunities having completed one of Europe’s biggest 2019 IPOs floating on the Paris Euronext Exchange this November, securing a corporate valuation of + €4 billion.
The early movements of a newly privatised FDJ have seen Europe’s second-largest lottery operator buyout French retail payment network Bimedia for €50 million. However, having reached peak retail capacity in France, FDJ’s future growth may lie in new shores – as a lucrative fourth National Lottery tender opens next year.
Investment bank Rothschild is one of four strategic advisors appointed by the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC) to support the 2020 tender’s framework and bidding process, working in partnership with management consultancy Deloitte, auditor EY and law firm Hogan Lovell.
At present, speculation is rife surrounding the inbound National Lottery tender, which UK media has branded as one of 2020’s ‘most intriguing business narratives’.
Though the UKGC is yet to disclose its official tender framework, a number of rumoured high-profile participants have been revealed including Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson and newspaper tycoon Richard Desmond who confirmed that the Northern & Shell publishing group will launch a bid.
Further European heavyweights eyeing National Lottery options include Czech gambling conglomerate SAZKA Group, which has been aggressively expanding its investment in European lotteries having acquired a 40% stake in OPAP Greece this summer.
