Banijay Group Acquires Majority Stake in Tipico

Banijay Strengthens its Position in Sports Betting

With this transaction, Banijay Group will become the controlling shareholder of the new structure. At closing, the company will hold 65 percent of the shares with the objective of increasing its stake to a minimum of 72 percent using call options negotiated within the agreement. Betclic and Tipico will remain active brands under the newly shaped Banijay Gaming division, continuing to operate with their own management teams and governance structures to preserve their individual identities and technological infrastructures.

The combination of Betclic’s recognized digital leadership with Tipico’s strong omnichannel model will broaden Banijay’s product capabilities and strengthen its positioning across regulated European markets. The company says this foundation enables a differentiated customer experience supported by scale, innovation and deep local engagement.

Financial and Market Impact

Following the acquisition, the group’s revenue split will show significant balance between entertainment and gaming activities. Banijay Gaming will contribute almost half of group revenues and more than 60 percent of adjusted EBITDA.

Together, Betclic, Tipico and Admiral Austria serve almost 6.5 million active players annually and operate more than 1,250 betting shops across key regulated markets including Germany and Austria. Banijay will benefit from strong cash generation that enables both continued deleveraging and long-term growth investments.

Leadership Continuity and Strategic Synergy

The companies underline a shared entrepreneurial culture and long-term approach. The founders of both Betclic and Tipico have fully reinvested their shares into Banijay Gaming, demonstrating long-term commitment and belief in future value creation.

A new leadership structure will become effective on 1 January 2026. Nicolas Béraud, founder of Betclic, will assume the role of Chairman of Banijay Gaming. After the transaction closes, Joachim Baca will become Vice-Chairman of the Board of Banijay Gaming, while Axel Hefer will remain the CEO of Tipico and Julien Brun will replace Béraud as CEO of Betclic.

The company is targeting approximately €100 million in medium-term synergy creation, driven by improved product innovation, shared technologies and expanded distribution in regulated markets. These synergies are expected to enable faster evolution of customer experience across retail and digital channels.

Executive Vision

Stéphane Courbit, President of Lov Group Invest, highlighted the step forward in the strategic mission to scale across European entertainment, saying in full:

“Banijay Group’s story is one of sustained growth and expansion – uniting entrepreneurs, talent and expertise across industries to build champions. The addition of Tipico marks another decisive step in that journey and reinforces our position as a driving force in the European sports betting and gaming landscape. This is a strong move that reflects our ambition and long-term vision.”

François Riahi, CEO of Banijay Group, noted that the acquisition aligns perfectly with the company’s strategy to expand its entertainment ecosystem, stating:

“We are delighted to announce this transformative deal for Banijay Group. As presented during our Capital Markets Day, Banijay Group is a natural consolidator in the field of Entertainment and is able to seize opportunities to expand and to create value. Tipico fits perfectly well in this strategy and is in line with our DNA: strong leader in two important markets, fully regulated, product focused, highly profitable, providing us – in the sports betting business – with the reach, the scale and the diversification that already make the strength of our content business.”

“I am particularly pleased to see that Tipico founders have decided to partner with us to build a new European leader in the sports betting business, rolling over all their stake in Tipico into Banijay Gaming, which is fully consistent with our DNA to gather strong entrepreneurs for the long term and a testimony to their trust in the future value creation.”

“Nicolas Béraud, Betclic founder, also reiterated his commitment to Banijay Gaming by increasing his stake in the business on the occasion of the deal through an evolution of his LTIP, and moving to the Banijay Gaming Chairman position as of 2026.”

Nicolas Béraud  Founder of Betclic and future Chairman of Banijay Gaming underlined the aligned values and strategic motivations behind the merger, stating:

“It is an exciting landmark moment for Betclic and Banijay Gaming. Through the proposed combination leveraging three strong brands: Betclic, Tipico, Admiral – Banijay Gaming is building a new European leader – one that combines scale with innovation, and a deep commitment to sustainable, regulated entertainment.”

“Betclic and Tipico share the same set of values: the passion for sport, the sense of innovation and the focus on the markets where they can win. Together, we will be stronger, with the scale, talent, and innovation needed to deliver unmatched experience for our players, while opening new opportunities for our teams and partners across Europe.”

Axel Hefer, CEO of Tipico, said the transaction marks the next stage in the company’s long-term expansion strategy:

“Joining forces with Betclic represents a pivotal milestone in Tipico’s growth journey. It is the deal we have been working towards – from refocusing on Europe after the sale of our US business, to last year’s expansion in Austria, and now building a broader European platform.”

“This partnership provides the scale and resources to accelerate product innovation, make bold investments in technology and set new standards for our customers. Combining local market knowledge with a truly European vision will unlock untapped potential and create lasting value for our customers, our employees, our partners and the industry at large.”