European Commission Confirms Framework Conditions for FDJ Monopoly

The decision of the European Commission reaffirms that the fee structure paid by the French gambling company Française des Jeux (FDJ) for its monopoly is in line with competition rules. This follows an in-depth investigation of state aid that preceded the legalization of FDJ's privatization. The company's exclusive rights to conduct lottery games and offline sports betting for a period of 25 years were also confirmed. Consequently, FDJ's shares experienced a rise of about 6% on the Paris stock exchange. The investigation was prompted by two complaints from 2020, which accused FDJ of benefiting from inadmissible state support due to an unduly low monopoly fee set at 380 million euros, or 15.2 million euros annually. During the review, the EU adjusted some calculation parameters, resulting in a new total remuneration of 477 million euros. This amount was assessed as compliant with EU regulations. FDJ acknowledged the Commission's decision and welcomed the conclusion of the investigation, affirming that the legal framework chosen during the privatization was sound.