Gaming1, an entertainment division of Ardent Group has entered into a transformative deal to move forward with their next stage of growth.
The active shareholders in the Liège-based company, the leader in the Belgian gaming market, have partnered with CVC Capital Partners Fund VIII. CVC will bring their expertise to support the group’s growth in becoming a global reference in the regulated online gaming markets thanks to the continued development of their own technology and through their unique omnichannel approach.
Growing quickly and strong companies
The history of the group’s entertainment activities started in 1992 in Liège, parallel to the development of their land-based network, the company progressively developed a digital offering through their own technology platform. Gaming1 today is a leader in Belgium, and also has nine offices around the globe. This includes the United States, Portugal, France, and their joint venture Gamewise, which was founded by the American superpower Delaware North.
Gaming1 only operates in licensed markets. Gaming1 is a solely focused on legal, responsible, and ethical gaming. Gaming1 strives towards providing the best experience for players, while remaining responsible and focused on regulated market. The group has around 1,300 employees, including more than 400 in their digital hub in Liège.
In order to increase their global reach and be a reference in the regulation online gambling market, Gaming1 is seeking a partner who can provide digital and sector expertise as well as global experience. Emmanuel Mewissen, Sylvain Boniver and Nicolas Léonard, historical shareholders of Gaming1, will continue to be the reference shareholders in Gaming1 and look forward to post-completion partnering with CVC, once the regulatory approvals are in place. Gaming1 had the support of BNP Paribas Corporate Finance for financial advice throughout this process.
An experienced, first-class investor, fully aligned with Gaming1’s growth strategy
CVC, a global investment company with assets in excess of US$125 million under management, is an industry leader. CVC has experience in the sector through CVC funds’ investments in Tipico, the German sports betting company, the Italian operator Sisal, and the English business Sky Bet. They also have significant knowledge of the digital space through CVC funds’ investments such as ironSource, a leader in mobile advertising and mobile gaming technology markets, and Aleph, a leading global enabler of digital advertising.
CVC is a multinational network with 25 offices worldwide, 13 of which are in Europe and a team that has been established in Belgium. This choice also allows Gaming1 to stay loyal to their roots and continue to contribute to the development of the country’s economic fabric, a core element of Gaming1’s mission.
