„Banijay Group“ įsigyja kontrolinį „Tipico Group“ akcijų paketą
Deal brings togther Betclic, Tipico and Admiral
Banijay Group, the entertainment powerhouse, has signed a binding agreement with CVC and Tipico’s founders to combine Betclic and Tipico groups, becoming the majority shareholder of the combined entity, and creating a European champion in sports betting and online gaming.
Banijay Group will buy the major stake of CVC in Tipico in cash, and all shareholders of Betclic and Tipico, including the respective founders, will become shareholders of the combined entity.
With the addition of Tipico Group, leader in sports betting and online gaming in Germany and Austria, Banijay Group would bring, on a pro forma basis, its revenue to €6.4bn and its adjusted EBITDA to €1.4bn in 2024. Banijay Gaming, which would double in revenue, adjusted EBITDA and free cash-flow and regroup three strong brands: Betclic, Tipico and Admiral generated €3bn in revenues, €854m in Adjusted EBITDA and €716m in Adjusted free cash flow in 2024, on a pro forma basis. Together, they serve almost 6.5m unique active players annually, operate more than 1,250 betting shops in Germany and Austria and employ 5,300 employees.
Betclic and Tipico are two complementary local champions with leading positions in six highly attractive and fully regulated markets (Germany, France, Portugal, Austria, Poland, and Côte d’Ivoire) thanks to strong tech and product expertise, joining forces to become the fourth largest European sports betting and gaming player3 and the leader of sports betting in Continental Europe.
Combining Betclic’s recognized digital expertise with Tipico’s omnichannel offer would broaden the Group’s capabilities across all distribution channels, strengthening its strategic positioning and enabling a seamless and differentiated customer experience.
As of January 1 2026, Nicolas Béraud, Betclic CEO, will become Chairman of the Board of Banijay Gaming, while Lov Group Invest will continue as President. Julien Brun, currently COO of Betclic, will succeed Nicolas Béraud as Betclic CEO. After completion of the transaction, Joachim Baca, former CEO of Tipico, will become Vice-Chairman of the Board of Banijay Gaming, while Axel Hefer, CEO of Tipico, will remain in his current role.
Stéphane Courbit, President of Lov Group Invest, added: “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, commented: “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, added: “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, added: “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.”
Daniel Pindur, Managing Partner at CVC Capital Partners and Co-Head of CVC DACH, said: “Since our investment in Tipico, we have worked closely with its founders and management to transform the company into the leading sports betting and gaming operator in the DACH region, with scale, innovation and a strong position in regulated markets. The combination with Betclic is the natural next step in this growth story, uniting two market leaders with complementary strengths to create a European champion. We are proud of what has been achieved together and look forward to supporting the new group as it enters its next phase.”
