FDJ: Conclusion of the European Commission’s investigation

FDJ takes note of the European Commission’s decision concluding that no State aid was granted to FDJ during its privatisation and that the equalisation payment should be re-evaluated from €380 million to €477 million, i.e. an additional sum of €97 million.

This decision concludes the formal investigation that the European Commission opened on 26 July 2021 to determine whether the €380 million sum that FDJ paid to secure its exclusive rights to operate point-of-sale sports betting and the lottery for a 25-year term, was appropriate.

FDJ welcomes the closure of this investigation and the European Commission’s confirmation, in line with the French Conseil d’Etat’s decision of 14 April 2023, that the legal framework adopted when the Group was privatised was robust.

FDJ has also taken note of the additional equalisation amount, valued by the European Commission at €97 million. The equalisation payment re-evaluated at €477 million is within the range initially established by the French Commission des participations et des transferts  in its opinion no. 2019-A.C.-1 of 7 October 2019.

 Impact on net profit and on the calculation of the dividend per share

This additional equalisation payment is recognised as an intangible asset – “exclusive operating rights”, in the same way as the initial amount of €380 million. As such, it will be amortised over 25 years starting on 23 May 2019, which is the effective date of the Pacte Law no. 2019-486.

FDJ Group announces that it will base its future dividend payments, beginning with those relating to its results for the 2024 financial year, on the adjusted net profit.

This adjusted net profit reflects FDJ’s actual economic performance and allows the Group to monitor and compare its performance against its competitors. It is based on the consolidated net profit restated for the following items:

• In 2024:
  • the additional amortisation over the 2019-2023 period recognised under exclusive rights in France amounting to €17.9 million.
  • The non-cash impact of the currency hedge relating to the acquisition of Kindred Group, which is recognised under financial result.
• Depreciation and amortisation of intangible and tangible assets recognised or revalued when allocating the purchase price of business combinations.
• And changes in tax resulting from these items.

Note that total amortisation of exclusive operating rights will amount to €37.0 million in 2024 and €19.1 million in 2025 after €15.2 million in 2023.

FDJ Group recalls that since 10 May and the French Court of Cassation’s ruling in favour of the FDJ Group in its dispute with Soficoma, which enabled it to cancel 3% of its share capital, the Group’s share capital now stands at 185,270,000 shares.