French finance minister says partial privatisation of state-owned lottery is a chance for savers to diversify France's state-owned lottery monopoly has kicked off its shift to private hands, launching the sale of shares in the company that is likely to bring nearly two billion euros ($2.2 billion) to government coffers. The government hopes the sale of a 52 percent stake in the Francaise des Jeux (FDJ) will rekindle demand for stocks among French savers. "It's a chance for the French to diversify their holdings at a time when interest rates are low," Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said at a press conference at the firm's headquarters southwest of Paris. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES