Betclic Owner Banijay Gaming Acquires JOA's 33 Casinos in France
Banijay Gaming has agreed to acquire JOA, the operator of 33 casinos across France, from funds managed by Blackstone and Kings Park Capital.
The deal, confirmed following a statement from Banijay Group, would hand the owner of Betclic and Tipico full control of France's second-largest casino network by number of venues.
Inside The JOA Deal
Under the put option agreement, Banijay Gaming would own 100% of JOA, financed through a mix of equity and debt.
Completion is expected during the second half of 2026, subject to consultation with JOA's employee representatives and to regulatory approvals that include merger control and casino gaming clearances.
JOA runs 33 casinos nationwide alongside 37 restaurants, 44 bars and five hotels.
It reported about 430 million euros in gross revenues for 2025 across gaming, leisure and hospitality, drew more than 4.6 million customers over the year and employs more than 2,050 people.
Founded in 1948, the company took the JOA name in 2008. Laurent Lassiaz, chairman of JOA, will keep leading the business alongside the existing management team.
Why France Matters For Banijay
The purchase follows Banijay Gaming's acquisition of Tipico in April 2026 and fits its stated push to build an omnichannel gaming group across online casino and retail.
That ambition meets a specific French constraint: online casino games and slots are not licensed in France, leaving online sports betting, poker and horse-race betting as the country's regulated online verticals under national regulator ANJ. Betclic, Banijay Gaming's French sportsbook, sits on the digital side, while JOA's venues add the land-based casino exposure French online rules do not permit.
Nicolas Beraud, chairman of Banijay Gaming, said: "We look forward to supporting JOA's next phase of development by bringing our expertise in technology, artificial intelligence and data, while preserving the entrepreneurial culture and operational excellence that have made the company successful."
Francois Riahi, chief executive of Banijay Group, said: "As in Germany and Austria, we will become a leader in land-based gaming in another of our core countries: France." The framing points to Banijay Gaming's recent expansion, which added Tipico and the Admiral brand in April 2026 to a portfolio led by Betclic.
The full terms are set out in Banijay Group's press release.
A Fast-Growing Gaming Arm
Banijay Group, listed on Euronext Amsterdam, reported 2025 revenue of 4.9 billion euros on a standalone basis, before the Tipico and All3Media operations. The gaming arm has moved quickly from an online-led operator into a group spanning sports betting, online gaming and land-based casinos.
For the wider market, the deal is another sign that large operators see value in owning both digital and physical channels, even where regulation splits what each can offer. The next milestone is regulatory sign-off in France, with completion targeted for the second half of 2026. More industry news will follow as the approvals progress, and readers can track the sector through our casino coverage.
