“Dear friends, Presidents and volunteers of racing associations, trotting socio-professionals, employees of the institution, enthusiasts and punters, receive my sincere and best wishes for 2025”, says the President of the SETF, Jean-Pierre Barjon, visibly in great shape this January. “At the start of the year, like each of you I imagine, we find ourselves facing many uncertainties, even questions. The year 2024 will have been difficult to say the least, and I do not hesitate to describe it as the year of all dangers. Indeed, how could we imagine a year ago, a dissolution of the National Assembly leading to political instability, or even a proposed taxation of an additional €80 million, deadly for the sector. As if we could be a solution to our country’s deficit. »
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PMU pilloried
“2025 promises to be just as complicated as 2024 and I want to share with you a speech of truth. Since September 2023, PMU’s commercial activity has suffered a significant decline, which has not been stopped to date. And if I maintain my esteem and my consideration for our GIE which embodies a beautiful and great brand, it is clear that the strategy deployed in recent years does not produce the expected results. The plan presented in 2022 for the years 2023/25 which embodied a vision and ambition for modernity and growth, was not kept. This obviously raises legitimate questions that we will need to answer quickly. In such a context, the administrators of our association did not vote on a new plan in December. Plan without prospect of real growth in activity for the next three years. Faced with this situation, we need explanations and above all new solutions. This is why, with France Galop, we requested several audit missions to better understand the situation and build a new future.
Because, in the end, everyone understands, a drop in the stakes illustrates a loss of attractiveness for our offer, which dangerously impacts the resources of our sector. And, I know, you often remind me, our primary mission remains the increase in incentives which we will maintain at their current level for 2025. As you have understood, there is an urgent need to redefine together a real ambition for betting and horse racing games. It must result in an offensive marketing strategy, a better presence of the sales force with customers and points of sale, and of course the continued digitalization of betting.”
The thorny Vincennes issue
“For our association, I must discuss with you another issue of prime importance, the renewal of the concession for the Paris-Vincennes racecourse. Our desire is affirmed, it is obviously to keep our racecourse but with acceptable financial conditions. Negotiations are complex, even uncertain, and lead us to work in parallel on alternative solutions. I am thinking in particular of the Enghien racecourse which we own.
-At the institutional level, this fall, faced with the risk of an increase in taxation on horse racing betting, we all went to the front, with you, in the same spirit. The event was a success and achieved its objectives. Our associative sector is unique and specific in the world of the gaming industry. With Guillaume de Saint-Seine, we reaffirmed this in 2024. Parliamentarians and the government have become aware of this. We will of course continue these essential actions in 2025. You will have understood, by nature, I refuse defeatism. And I am counting on our essential cooperation with France Galop to better manage on solid foundations our common organizations which are the FNCH, HRM (Horse racing Media), the GTHP, the AFASEC and of course the PMU. On behalf of the Board of Directors and the Committee, I renew my best wishes to you to share with your loved ones and I look forward to seeing you for the Prix de Cornulier and the Prix d’Amérique which will take place in a few weeks. See you soon!”
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