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BetConstruct has partnered with French casino operator Barrière Group which will see the firm make its online entry via the launch of its first platform.

Leveraging BetConstruct’s technology, the group will start its online betting operation as BarrièreBet, initially offering players sports betting with the addition of poker and horseracing to come at a later date. 

The company’s first online platform will offer players access to more than 40 sports and 200 event types, with over 30 000 sports events per year.

Dominique Desseigne, chairman and CEO of Barrière Group, commented: “The online gaming market is a new axis of development which will allow the group to consolidate its positions and promote its brands, as well as increase our brand awareness toward our new players and retain our land-based casino customers.”

Paris headquartered Barrière Group, which operates 28 casinos, a gaming club, 18 hotels and 140 restaurants and bars in France, will unveil its betting platform tomorrow (Wednesday 16 September). BarrièreBet will operate on BetConstruct’s sportsbook under l’autorité nationale des Jeux’s licence, which enables igaming activities in France. 

Vigen Badalyan, BetConstruct founder and CEO, said: “With a remarkable journey that began back in 1912, Barrière has gone through many eras of growth and transformation to establish itself as one of the market leaders in French casinos. 

“Now they seek to leverage the strength of their brand and their expertise to make the transition to online and we are happy to partner with them as they look to realise their online ambitions. We wish Barrière hundreds of years of success and growth in the online world.”

France’s online poker ecosystem skyrocketed during the year’s second quarter, with overall revenue during the period declining six per cent year-on-year largely due to a 56 per cent drop across online sports betting.

As the country’s overall online gambling market closed at €323m for the quarter, poker’s 126 per cent rise to gross gaming revenue of €142m during Q1 helped push H1 revenue to €758m, an eight per cent increase from 2019’s figure.