The function, held at the historic Caves Legrand<\/strong> on October 4, <\/strong>brought together executives across continents, providing a platform for networking and forging international partnerships in the horse racing and wagering sectors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Dramane Coulibaly<\/strong>, LONACI\u2019s General Manager and President of the African Lotteries Association, led the delegation. He was accompanied by key team members, including Ouattara Aboubakary<\/strong> of the LONACI Foundation, advisor N\u2019Guessan Koffi Geoffroy<\/strong>, Communications Officer Karamoko Nadialika<\/strong>, and Protocol Manager Karine Marjori Farah<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The gathering served as a prelude to Sunday\u2019s main race at Longchamp Racecourse<\/strong>, where a field of top thoroughbreds vied for a \u20ac5m prize<\/strong>. In a surprising finish, the 12-1 outsider Daryz<\/strong> edged out favourite Minnie Hauk<\/strong>, thrilling more than 40,000 spectators<\/strong>. Bettors wagered \u20ac16.6m<\/strong> on the Arc race through France\u2019s PMU network, marking a 3.3 per cent increase <\/strong>from 2024 and a growing enthusiasm for high-stakes horse racing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n LONACI\u2019s 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<\/strong>, the operator recently co-hosted the PMU African Grand Prix<\/a> in Morocco, featuring jockeys from 12 countries. These efforts have enabled LONACI to direct lottery revenues into local sports initiatives, including CFA 48 million<\/strong> (\u20ac73,152) in funding to support community clubs in C\u00f4te d’Ivoire, some of which nurture equestrian talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the Paris reception, Aymeric Verlet<\/strong>, PMU France\u2019s International Director, acknowledged the African delegation, toasting Coulibaly alongside Senegal\u2019s National Lottery head, Toussaint Manga<\/strong>. He said: \u201cSeeing leaders from C\u00f4te 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.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n 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. <\/p>\n\n\n\n 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.<\/p>\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/focusgn.com\/africa\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/7\/2025\/10\/LONACI-LOGO.jpg\"){kind=logo}
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