FDJ completes acquisition of Irish National Lottery operator PLI, its first foray outside France

French National Lottery operator La Française des Jeux (FDJ) has successfully finalized its acquisition of Premier Lotteries Ireland (PLI), which holds exclusive rights to operate the Irish National Lottery until 2034, marking its first foray into operating a lottery outside France.

The acquisition follows regulatory approval from the Irish National Lottery, granted in early October, and represents a major step in FDJ's strategic ambition to become an international B2C operator in the lottery, sports betting, and online gaming sectors.

Stéphane Pallez, Chairwoman and CEO of FDJ Group, stated: "La Française des Jeux has opened a new chapter in its history by fulfilling its ambition to expand its international presence as a lottery and online gaming operator. The synergies between FDJ and Premier Lotteries Ireland will draw on our respective and acknowledged skills to offer people in Ireland a recreational, responsible range of games.”

Premier Lotteries Ireland's CEO Andrew Algeo added: “FDJ’s backing marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in PLI’s history, which will benefit Ireland’s National Lottery and its many stakeholders. The PLI team looks forward to further improving the Irish National Lottery with FDJ and contributing to FDJ’s international lottery expansion.”

PLI, which has held the Irish National Lottery license since 2014 and has exclusive rights until November 2034, recorded gross gaming revenue (GGR) of $428.3 million (€399 million) and reported net gaming revenue of $150.3 million (€140 million) in 2022, with an EBITDA margin comparable to that of FDJ.

PLI offers a range of around 40 games through a network of more than 5,300 points of sale and online, with over 15% of sales coming from digital channels. Two-thirds of its sales come from draw games, and one-third from instant-win games. In 2022, PLI distributed 65% of its GGR, approximately $279.1 million (€260 million), to over 4,000 charities and Good Causes.

A joint strategic plan is in the works to accelerate PLI's growth and profitability. This plan is based on sharing best practices between the two operators and FDJ's experience, focusing on enhancing PLI's instant-win games, expanding the draw games player base, and improving the digital experience for Irish players.

FDJ's acquisition of PLI is part of the company's broader expansion strategy in both national and international markets, and it follows the recent purchase of ZEturf Group.

In the first nine months of 2023, FDJ reported a 3.9% increase in revenue, driven by growth in its sports betting and iGaming business. While the lottery remains FDJ's primary revenue source, it witnessed a 1.2% decline, while sports betting and iGaming revenues increased by 9.3%.