Banijay Gaming committed on 6 July to acquire JOA, France's second-largest casino operator by number of venues, from funds managed by Blackstone and Kings Park Capital.
Why Banijay Group (Banijay Gaming) is buying JOA
Banijay said the deal extends its omnichannel strategy by adding JOA's land-based network to the digital business of Betclic and Tipico, and plans cross-selling between its French online activities and JOA's casinos. JOA chairman Laurent Lassiaz will continue to lead the business with the existing management team.
“As in Germany and Austria, we will become a leader in land-based gaming in another of our core countries: France.”
Deal terms and financing
The acquisition is structured as a put option agreement and financed through a mix of equity and debt, after which Banijay Gaming would own 100% of JOA. The price was not disclosed.
Regulatory approvals and timing
Completion is expected in the second half of 2026, subject to consultation of JOA's employee representatives and approvals including merger control and casino gaming authorisations. No closing had been announced by mid-October 2026.
Market context
JOA operates 33 casinos with 37 restaurants, 44 bars and five hotels, serves more than 4.6 million customers a year and employs over 2,050 people. Online casino games are not licensed in France, so the deal gives Banijay land-based casino exposure it cannot build online.
