A little history…

Circus is first and foremost a family affair. The adventure began with a meeting between two people from Liège: Emmanuel Mewissen, a student finishing his dentistry degree, and Jean-Marie Léonard, an accountant and operator of two student establishments. They hit it off so well that the two men joined forces and opened their first gaming hall in Liège in 1992, under the name Circus. The wheels were in motion.

Since then, the two men have come a long way! Together, they founded the Ardent Group and its entertainment branch, Gaming1, with which they opened some 30 gaming halls in Belgium. They also acquired two renowned casinos: the Casino de Namur, a veritable benchmark for poker, and the Casino de Spa, the oldest casino in the world. Meanwhile, Jean-Marie Léonard handed over the reins to his son Nicolas, and they teamed up with the Boniver family to conquer the growing digital market. Together, they launched Belgium’s first online gaming site, Circus.be, in 2011. The start of the digital conquest.

At the heart of this dazzling expansion, the group decided to enter the French market. And it was none other than Sébastien Leclercq who was appointed Country Manager to bring this project to fruition. Well-known to the Ardent family, he knows all the ins and outs of the gaming industry. After starting out as a croupier at the Casino de Namur, he worked his way up through the ranks as table manager, gaming director and then deputy general manager of the establishment, before taking over as general manager of the Casino de Spa.

In early 2016, Circus joined forces with Société Française de Casinos (SFC) to form Société Franco-Belge de Casinos (SFBC) and acquired its first casinos: Briançon and Port-Leucate. At the end of 2016, the group acquired the Carnac casino and quickly invested in 35 new slot machines and the development of two outdoor areas. On the restaurant side, a new chef is recruited to offer a new menu based on fresh, local produce.

The group is investing massively in these three establishments, working in partnership with local authorities and a number of local entities and associations to offer new events, dinner shows and themed evenings. The three casinos benefit from a new impetus that revitalizes their business and attracts new customers. The results are impressive, with attendance soaring and sales for the three casinos rising from 12 to over 15 million euros between 2016 and 2018.

Following the development of its first three casinos, the group now faces a major new challenge: to inaugurate its gaming club in the French capital. Located on Boulevard Murat, the club aims to attract poker and traditional gaming enthusiasts. A colossal worksite is set to get underway in January 2019, with five million euros invested and a team of around one hundred people to carry out the necessary work. In addition to a 30-table gaming area, the emphasis is on player comfort with the installation of a 150m² restaurant and a bar in the middle of the Club.

The Club Circus in Paris was finally inaugurated in September 2019, and Circus Casino France set up its head office there, with the ambition of expanding and acquiring new casinos. An ambition that is soon to become a reality as, after buying up all the shares in the Briançon, Carnac and Port-Leucate casinos in the second quarter of 2019, the group acquires the Allevard casino and signs a deed of purchase for the Vals-les-Bains casino at the end of the year.

The years 2020 and 2021 are obviously marked by the health crisis and the 18-month closure of the establishments. But this will not prevent the group from continuing its expansion in France with the acquisition of new casinos.

After signing the deeds at the end of 2019, Circus will receive the keys to the Vals-les-Bains casino in March 2020. As the only gaming establishment in the Ardèche, the Vals-les-Bains casino intends to upgrade its offering and revitalize its business to attract more local visitors. Circus is investing heavily in the acquisition of new slot machines and electronic games, renovating the exterior and modernizing existing facilities. Another colossal project is the renovation of the Michelin-starred Le Vivarais restaurant and the Hotel Helvie adjacent to the casino, to modernize the premises and welcome more visitors.

At the end of 2021, the group will be setting up in Balaruc-les-Bains. The aim is to win back customers after the pandemic, which has had a major impact on the sector. As with its other casinos, Circus is investing in a more diversified gaming offering, with new slot machines and tables for roulettes, blackjack and Rampo, a Circus-exclusive game. On the restaurant side, the casino has focused on quality, offering dishes made from local and organic produce, with a menu that’s renewed every month. Circus Casino France also acquired the Barbotan casino.

The year 2022 is off to a flying start, with Circus entering the Swiss market and becoming a majority shareholder in the Crans-Montana casino in January. This renowned Alpine establishment, founded in 2000, employs around 50 people.

The year 2024 is marked by two launches on the online gaming market.

In February, Circus launched its 100% free online casino site: MyCircus.net. The platform offers a catalog of some of the most popular casino games on the market. Players from the landbased establishments can now find their favorite games online too, and place bets using a virtual currency. They can then exchange their virtual winnings for vouchers to be used at Circus casinos, and take part in competitions to win prizes.

In June, the group launches its sports betting site CircusBet.fr. The easy-to-use platform offers betting on over 20 sports, including football, tennis and basketball. Right from its launch, the site offers a variety of promotions such as boosted odds and bonuses.