France: Issued ruling in French Competition Authority investigation into La Francaise des Jeux (FDJ)'s acquisition of Kindred Group (Unibet)

On 13 September 2024, the French Competition Authority has approved La Française des Jeux (FDJ)'s acquisition of Kindred Group (Unibet), subject to conditions to prevent competition issues. In particular, FDJ, a major player in the gambling sector with exclusive rights for lottery and retail sports betting in France, is expanding its online presence. Kindred operates in online sports betting, horse racing betting, and poker under the Unibet brand. The Competition Authority identified risks of FDJ potentially linking its monopoly activities (lottery and retail sports betting) with Kindred’s competitive online offerings. To address these concerns, FDJ must maintain a separation between its monopoly and competitive activities, particularly in terms of branding and marketing strategies.