France approves Banijay Gaming’s acquisition of JOA
French competition authorities have approved Banijay Gaming’s proposed acquisition of casino operator JOA, clearing a major regulatory hurdle for the transaction.
The Autorité de la concurrence announced on November 4 that it had authorised the acquisition without conditions.
JOA operates 33 land-based casinos across France, making it one of the country’s largest casino groups.
Banijay Gaming owns the Betclic online gambling brand, which operates across several regulated European markets.
The transaction represents an important expansion into land-based gambling for Banijay, which has built a substantial online sports betting and gaming business.
The French competition regulator said the investigation was particularly significant because it was the first time it had examined a merger creating an operator active across both online gambling and land-based casino markets in France.
Investigators assessed whether the combined company could use its presence across both channels to disadvantage competitors.
Online poker and land-based casino poker were identified as potentially related markets because of overlapping customer bases.
However, the regulator concluded that the transaction was unlikely to substantially reduce competition.
It cited the companies’ existing market positions, the presence of competing operators and the relatively limited contribution of poker to JOA’s casino operations.
The decision allows Banijay Gaming to proceed with its proposed acquisition, subject to any remaining transaction requirements.
The deal would give the Betclic owner a significant presence in France’s land-based casino industry while expanding its opportunities across different gambling channels.
