Interview of Sylvain Genevee,
COO at ZEturf Group, new member of WoTA

ZEturf NL has increased its participation to WoTA by including ZEturf Group – confirmed at the WoTA General Assembly 2024 on 27^th August in Sapporo, Japan.

ZEturf Group acquisition is now finalised, what are your priorities at International level?

Being a member of the FDJ Group, especially now that the Kindred Group recently is acquired gives us the opportunity to develop our horse betting product further. Improving the product will mean we can expand our international footprint for instance by allowing more partners into our ZEtote Pools on French races.

What can WoTA bring to your company? And what your company can bring to WoTA?

WoTA brings us the opportunity to expand our network and develop long term relationships. We can deliver WoTA a lot of knowledge about several markets on horse betting. After the acquisition and with the Kindred Group we can even bring more to the table as one of the European leaders in a variety of markets and verticals.

What can WoTA do differently (or change priorities) to become even more relevant for you?

It is imminent that most operators in Europe but probably in the world are facing more and more restrictions on responsible gambling, taxes and marketing. This trend is negative for channelization of the legal market and is very negative for business. We should do everything to avoid the rules getting restrictive to a level that it becomes impossible to cover the objectives on channelization and to have a sustainable business model.

What are the most important challenges your company is facing in 2025?

New strict rules on Responsible Gambling, AML and marketing. The (potential) increase of gambling taxes across Europe.

What kind of relationship do you have with other tote/horserace betting operators?

As we are licensed in the French market since 2010 we and being the second largest horse betting operator in France after PMU, we have strong relationships with the French operators who also comingle into ZEtote. Also we have good relationships with the French horse racing bodies, LeTrot and France Galop. After the acquisition of our Dutch subsidiary back in 2018 we have a history of cooperations with tote betting operators, horse racing authorities that go back for more than 25 years.

Where do you see  your company in a 10 – 15 years’ time?

To be one of the market leaders on horse betting in Europe in line with the groups ambitions to be a European Champion.

What do you do when you are not in charge of Horserace betting issues?

To share good moments with my family and friends to make great memories.

Please tell us what is your best memory of a sport (horseracing or other) event you have attended?

Always the last straight of the best horse races all over the world. And when the French football team won the World Cup.