LONACI leads African delegation to Paris for horse racing extravaganza
LONACI’s presence highlighted its ambition to deepen involvement in international horse racing circuits, where lotteries and race betting intersect.
Côte d’Ivoire.- Representatives from Côte d’Ivoire’s national lottery operator, LONACI, have attended a prestigious reception in Paris ahead of Europe’s top horse racing event, the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.
The function, held at the historic Caves Legrand on October 4, brought together executives across continents, providing a platform for networking and forging international partnerships in the horse racing and wagering sectors.
Dramane Coulibaly, LONACI’s General Manager and President of the African Lotteries Association, led the delegation. He was accompanied by key team members, including Ouattara Aboubakary of the LONACI Foundation, advisor N’Guessan Koffi Geoffroy, Communications Officer Karamoko Nadialika, and Protocol Manager Karine Marjori Farah.
The gathering served as a prelude to Sunday’s main race at Longchamp Racecourse, where a field of top thoroughbreds vied for a €5m prize. In a surprising finish, the 12-1 outsider Daryz edged out favourite Minnie Hauk, thrilling more than 40,000 spectators. Bettors wagered €16.6m on the Arc race through France’s PMU network, marking a 3.3 per cent increase from 2024 and a growing enthusiasm for high-stakes horse racing.
LONACI’s presence highlighted its ambition to deepen involvement in international horse racing circuits, where lotteries and race betting intersect. As a key member of the African Lotteries Association, the operator recently co-hosted the PMU African Grand Prix in Morocco, featuring jockeys from 12 countries. These efforts have enabled LONACI to direct lottery revenues into local sports initiatives, including CFA 48 million (€73,152) in funding to support community clubs in Côte d’Ivoire, some of which nurture equestrian talent.
At the Paris reception, Aymeric Verlet, PMU France’s International Director, acknowledged the African delegation, toasting Coulibaly alongside Senegal’s National Lottery head, Toussaint Manga. He said: “Seeing leaders from Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal here shows how far our shared passion for the sport has come. It’s these conversations that turn one-off races into lasting alliances.”
The event represents a strategic move for LONACI to foster technological exchanges and partnerships that could expand horse betting in West Africa, where cultural ties to the sport are strong but infrastructure remains limited.
Potential innovations include user-friendly betting apps for Ivorian punters to access European races and training programs bringing expertise from France to Abidjan. These developments could boost revenues for community programmes already supported by LONACI, such as youth academies and responsible gambling initiatives staffed by trained counsellors.
