Banijay Acquires Majority Stake in Tipico to Form a Leading European Betting Group
Banijay’s Major Investment in Tipico
The French multinational media company Banijay Group has taken a significant step in the sports betting sector by acquiring a majority share in Tipico Group, a prominent sports betting operator. This strategic move aims to integrate Tipico with Banijay’s existing Betclic brand, bolstering their position in the European online betting market.
Creating a European Sports Betting Leader
Banijay’s acquisition of Tipico is designed to merge the two betting businesses into a leading entity in the European sports betting and online gaming industry. The transaction, which is financing through a cash package valued at 3 billion euros, also involves refinancing the existing debt of Tipico. After the deal closes, Banijay will hold a controlling stake of 65%, with plans to increase this to 72%. All current shareholders of Betclic and Tipico will continue to hold shares in the combined company.
The merger is expected to significantly increase Banijay’s financial performance, projecting a combined revenue of 6.4 billion euros and an adjusted EBITDA of 1.4 billion euros for 2024. Banijay’s gaming division, which includes Betclic, Tipico, and Admiral2, is forecast to see a doubling in key financial metrics such as revenue, EBITDA, and free cash flow.
This division collectively serves approximately 6.5 million customers, operates 1,250 betting shops throughout Germany and Austria, and employs around 5,300 staff members.
Complementary Strengths and Synergies Between Betclic and Tipico
Betclic and Tipico offer complementary strengths: Betclic’s digital expertise combined with Tipico’s extensive omnichannel presence across physical and online platforms. This strategic combination is expected to facilitate growth across all sales channels.
Banijay anticipates annual synergies of around 100 million euros from the merger, underlining the strong value proposition for stakeholders.
The deal values Betclic at approximately 4.8 billion euros and Tipico at 4.6 billion euros. The founders of both brands will remain significant shareholders in the newly formed Banijay Gaming entity.
Following the acquisition, there will be leadership adjustments: Nicolas Béraud, CEO of Betclic, will become the chair of Banijay Gaming’s board, with Julien Brun, Betclic’s COO, stepping up as Betclic’s new CEO. Joachim Baca, former CEO of Tipico, will serve as vice chair of Banijay Gaming’s board, while current Tipico CEO Axel Hefer will maintain his position.
The completion of this transaction is anticipated by mid-2026, subject to regulatory approvals and other conditions.
Statements Highlighting the Strategic Importance of the Acquisition
Key figures expressed their views on the merger, emphasizing its significance. Stéphane Courbit, president of Lov Group Invest, described the acquisition as a decisive milestone in Banijay Group’s growth journey.
Banijay Group’s CEO François Riahi called the deal transformative, noting that Tipico fits well within the group’s strategic vision. He highlighted the importance of the Tipico founders’ commitment to the partnership and their ongoing involvement as shareholders, signaling trust in the future value creation.
“I am particularly pleased to see that Tipico founders have decided to partner with us to build a new European leader in sports betting, maintaining their stake in Banijay Gaming. This reflects our philosophy of partnering with strong entrepreneurs for the long term and demonstrates their confidence in future growth.”
François Riahi, CEO, Banijay Group
Nicolas Béraud, Betclic’s founder and soon chair of Banijay Gaming, described this as an exciting and pivotal moment. He highlighted how the combination of Betclic, Tipico, and Admiral will create a powerful, innovative, and sustainable leader in the European betting industry.
“The combination of these three brands enables Banijay Gaming to build a European leader focused on scale, innovation, and sustainable, regulated entertainment.”
Nicolas Béraud, Founder, Betclic
Béraud added that the unified business will be positioned to offer unmatched experiences and open new opportunities across Europe.
Tipico’s CEO Axel Hefer pointed out that the company has been preparing for this partnership since refocusing its strategy on Europe after divesting U.S. assets. He emphasized the synergy of combining local market expertise with a broad European vision to unlock new potential and create value for all stakeholders, including customers, employees, and partners.
“Merging local knowledge with a truly European perspective will unlock new possibilities and lasting value for our customers, employees, partners, and the wider industry.”
Axel Hefer, CEO, Tipico
Daniel Pindur, managing partner at CVC Capital Partners and co-head of its DACH region, expressed confidence that the merger represents a natural progression in Tipico’s growth narrative.
