Since its creation in 2005, Betclic, whose next IPO was announced on Tuesday, has become one of the European leaders in sports betting and online games.
The group, which claims more than 800 employees from more than 38 nationalities, offers a wide range of sports betting on mobile and online applications, but also poker, casino games and online horse racing betting, and displays a clientele of some 11 million players.
Headquarters in Bordeaux
Founded in 2005 in London by entrepreneur Nicolas Béraud, who is its current CEO, the company set up its head office in Bordeaux in 2017 due to the uncertainties then linked to the Brexit voted the previous year. The group, which achieved 835 million euros in turnover in 2021, claims to generate revenue today in ten countries, even if France, Portugal, Poland, Germany and Italy represent 91 % of its activity.
For Betclic, “the growth potential is first organic”, given the “both technological and demographic developments” in the sector, explained François Riahi. The global online sports betting market should reach 115 billion euros annually in 2027, according to sector estimates.
FL Entertainment brings together Betclic and the French audiovisual group Banijay under one roof. It is controlled by Financière Lov and run by audiovisual magnate Stéphane Courbit and former banker François Riahi.
In addition to its sports betting activity, Betclic has become an important financial partner of sport and has diversified its presence in more than 50 disciplines. Present above all in football in several countries – it is particularly linked to the LFP, the FFF and the French team – the group has also gained a foothold in basketball (LNB and Bordeaux club in France, Portugal) and rugby (Top 14 and UBB in France) or volleyball in Poland.
In January 2021, Betclic also invested in esports by partnering with Apogee.
Betclic is part of the French Online Gaming Association (Afjel), which brings together 10 of the 15 licensed gaming operators in France.
In February the ANJ was concerned the impact of hype on minorsfollowing a survey of 5,000 young people aged 15 to 17, who had often said they were “overwhelmed” by spots and sponsored content from most online gaming operators, but had cited Winamax, La Française des games and Betclic.
