- Founded
- 1992-01-01 in Liège, Belgium
- Headquarters
- Liège, Belgium
- Phone
- +32 49-6565917
Gaming1 is a leading Belgian omnichannel gambling operator and technology provider, offering casino, sports betting, and poker services both land‑based and online. Founded in 1992 in Liège, Belgium, the company has grown into a major international player with a presence in nine countries, including Belgium, France, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, and the United States. Gaming1 is part of the Ardent Group, a consortium of families from Liège, and has partnered with CVC Capital Partners Fund VIII to accelerate its global growth. The group operates well‑known brands such as Circus (Circus.be, Circus Casino France, circus.nl) and 777.be, and owns over 40 gaming rooms, land‑based casinos in Belgium and France, and casinos in Switzerland and France. Gaming1 is exclusively active in regulated markets and emphasises responsible gaming, having developed a proprietary technology platform that powers both its own brands and white‑label solutions for partners. With approximately 1,700 employees across hubs in Liège, France, and Malta, the company is a significant tech employer in Wallonia and has been certified as a Top Employer for three consecutive years.
Detailed Review
History and Founding
Gaming1 began in 1992 when Jean‑Marie Léonard and Emmanuel Mewissen, together with the Bosquin family, opened the first gaming room in Liège, Belgium. Over the subsequent decades, the group expanded its land‑based network across Belgium, including Grand Casino de Namur, Casino de Spa, and more than 30 Circus Casino halls, and internationally into France, Switzerland, and the Netherlands. Simultaneously, it developed its own technology stack to create a complete omnichannel platform that integrates casino games, sports betting, and poker.
Technology and Products
Gaming1’s proprietary platform features a customisable front‑end, content management system, bonus engine, loyalty programme, live notifications, slot tournaments, and a full back‑office with player tracking and risk scoring. The platform supports integration with over 25 first‑party game providers, offering more than 1,200 games, and is designed for easy connection to third‑party services for CRM (Optimove), affiliation (NetRefer, Income Access), anti‑fraud (iOvation), and payment methods such as Safecharge, Visa, PayPal, Skrill, Neteller. Gaming1 also offers an exclusive sports betting solution with multi‑provider trading, live betting, cash‑out, and powerful risk management tools. The company has its own casino games studio, further strengthening its content portfolio.
Market Presence and Expansion
In 2021, Gaming1 launched a joint venture with Delaware North called Gamewise to bring its sports betting and casino platform to the US market. That same year, CVC Capital Partners Fund VIII acquired a stake in the group, supporting its international expansion. In 2022, Gaming1 entered the Dutch market through circus.nl and became majority shareholder in Casino Crans‑Montana in Switzerland. By 2023, it secured concessions for two high‑profile Swiss casinos (Davos and Crans‑Montana) valid until 2044. In 2024, it launched MyCircus.net in France, a fully gamified free‑to‑play casino experience.
Responsible Gaming and Financials
Gaming1 is deeply committed to responsible gaming and player protection. It is a co‑founder of BAGO and Playsafe in Belgium, and has deployed a Consent Management Platform (CMP) across its 14 websites to ensure GDPR compliance and manage user consent. The group’s technology is fully adaptable to diverse regulatory environments, and it focuses exclusively on regulated markets. The company’s financial strength was underscored by a EUR400 million refinancing in 2024, advised by A&O Shearman. With a turnover of approximately EUR278 million in 2022 and continuous job creation (150 new IT jobs in Liège in the last three years), Gaming1 is a resilient and growing force in the global iGaming industry.
Key Products
Proprietary Casino Platform
Full-stack omnichannel casino solution with 1,200+ games, CRM, bonus engine, loyalty, and risk management.
Proprietary Sportsbook Platform
Multi-provider sportsbook with live betting, cash-out, trading system, and risk monitoring.
Circus
Leading online and land-based casino/sportsbook brand in Belgium, France, and the Netherlands.
777
Online casino brand in Belgium and France.
MyCircus.net
Free-to-play gamified casino experience (France, launched 2024).
Betly
Mobile sportsbook and casino app for the US market (joint venture).
Gamewise
Joint venture with Delaware North supplying B2B platform to North American operators.
Land-based casinos
Over 40 venues including casinos in Crans-Montana (Switzerland) and Davos (Switzerland).
Gaming1 Platform
A comprehensive B2B solution for casino and sports betting websites, including a customizable front-end, advanced back-office (bonus management, loyalty schemes, live notifications, risk scoring, player tracking), integration with 25+ game providers, and omnichannel features linking online and land-based activity.
Betting Solution
Proprietary sportsbook built on a multi-provider trading system offering pre-match and live betting, a cash-out system, promotion tools, and a real-time risk management dashboard.
Responsible Gaming Tools
Prevention, awareness, moderation, and monitoring tools integrated into the platform to detect problematic behavior and support player protection.
PokerStars.be
Poker site operated in partnership with Stars Group in Belgium.
MyCircus
Free-to-play gamified casino platform launched in France in 2024.
Sports Betting Solution
An in‑house developed betting engine featuring multi‑provider odds, live betting, cash‑out, and real‑time risk management.
Casino Games Studio
Gaming1’s own development studio creating exclusive casino content.
Circus (Circus.be, Circus Casino France, circus.nl)
The group’s flagship B2C casino and sports betting brand in Belgium, France, and the Netherlands.
777.be
An online casino brand in Belgium.
Betly.com
A mobile sports betting app launched in the US in 2022.
Land‑based Casinos
Grand Casino de Namur, Casino de Spa, Circus Casino halls (Belgium); 10 casinos in France and a Paris game club; Casino de Davos and Casino de Crans‑Montana (Switzerland).
Offices & Headcount
1700 employees (approx.)
Key Persons
Sylvain BoniverFounder