French Traditionalists Scrutinize FDJ UNITED’s New Identity

Coming just a few months after its acquisition of European gaming powerhouse Kindred, French lottery and betting giant FDJ embraced a new brand identity, renaming its business to FDJ UNITED.

Although this change was meant to reflect the company’s foray into the world of European gaming, it was profoundly scrutinized by French traditionalists.

Critics Do Not Like the New Name

FDJ UNITED, formerly known as La Française des Jeux, is the operator of the French and Irish national lotteries. Once a strictly French business, the company has now grown into one of Europe’s leading gaming and entertainment companies, thanks to its acquisition of Kindred Group.

FDJ changed its name earlier this month as it sought a name that better reflected its international identity. Unfortunately, this decision came to be besmirched by those who wished to preserve the French language from foreign influence.

France has long been known for its war on English words in its language. Traditionalists have firmly opposed the proliferation of new words and terms, especially ones coming from the English language.

English words have nevertheless continued to creep in, despite traditionalists’ best efforts. FDJ’s rebrand to FDJ UNITED, however, seems to have been the last straw for some of them.

Globish Doesn’t Sit Well with Traditionalists

During a radio segment, Jacques Myard, a member of France’s Republican party (LP), besmirched FDJ’s rebrand as scandalous. According to him, the name FDJ UNITED was a symptom of France’s loss of language identity and embracing of Globish.

Globish, which is comprised of the words “global” and “English,” is a term used to denote the barebones English often used for international business communication. In short, it is exactly what defenders of the purity of the French language have been trying to resist for years.

To further stress their disapproval of FDJ UNITED’s new identity, critics questioned the company’s choice of language if it desires to highlight the expansion of its business in Europe. They noted that the entertainment powerhouse should have considered the fact that Great Britain is no longer part of the European Union and that the English language might not be so representative of Europe anymore.

FDJ United Goes from Strength to Strength Regardless

Whether people approve of FDJ UNITED’s new name or not, the company’s results speak for themselves. The operator just posted its FY 2024 report, highlighting increases in revenue and EBITDA.

The company’s recent acquisitions have put it in a strong position, setting it up for further growth. Underpinned by an experienced business team, FDJ UNITED is prepared to redefine the future of entertainment in Europe.