France Approves Banijay Gaming Takeover of 33 JOA Casinos

France has approved the acquisition of JOA by Banijay Gaming, the owner of Betclic, without imposing conditions. The November 4, 2026 decision allows the group to proceed with plans to acquire the second-largest casino operator in France.

Good to know

• Banijay Gaming received competition clearance to acquire JOA, which operates 33 casinos across France.
• JOA generated approximately €430 million in gross revenue in 2025 and attracts over 4.6 million annual visitors.
• French regulators examined potential competition between online poker and land-based casinos but found no major concerns.

Betclic Owner Adds Major Casino Business in France

JOA operates 33 casinos alongside restaurants, bars and hotels, giving Banijay Gaming an established land-based gambling network in France.

The acquisition follows the April 2026 takeover of Tipico, which strengthened the wider Banijay Group presence in Germany and Austria.

Banijay agreed to purchase JOA from funds managed by Blackstone and Kings Park Capital in July.

Nicolas Béraud, President of Banijay Gaming, previously explained the strategy:

“Customers increasingly expect seamless experiences across digital and physical environments, and this transaction positions us perfectly to respond to that evolution.”

Meanwhile, Antoine Jouteau now serves as Banijay Gaming CEO, while Laurent Lassiaz remains chairman of JOA.

French Gambling Regulator Examines Poker Competition

The Autorité de la concurrence focused on whether combining Betclic online gambling services with JOA casinos could disadvantage competitors.

Its investigation found that online poker players frequently also visit physical casinos, particularly as younger customers increasingly use both channels.

However, regulators concluded that existing competition and the relatively small contribution of poker to JOA casino revenue made harmful market concentration unlikely.

The authority also excluded potential online casino legalization from its assessment. France continues to prohibit online casino games, and regulators considered any future legalization too uncertain to evaluate.

The review represented the first French competition assessment of an acquisition combining online gambling and land-based casino operations under one group.

JOA Acquisition Still Requires Final Approvals

Banijay Gaming expects to complete the JOA transaction during Q4 2026.

Although competition authorities approved the acquisition without restrictions, the company must still obtain the relevant casino operating approvals and consult employee representatives.

The deal comes as the French gambling market recorded just 0.5% revenue growth during the first half of 2026, with online gambling accounting for much of the increase.

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