| betFIRST | |
| Industry: | Online gambling |
| Location City: | Etterbeek |
| Location Country: | Belgium |
| Area Served: | Europe |
| Services: | Online betting and gaming, Horse betting, casino |
| Founder: | Groupe IPM |
| Homepage: | , |
betFIRST is a brand owned by Betsson AB, an online gambling company that operates various websites offering casino games, poker, bingo, sports betting, and scratch cards under more than 20 online gaming brands. Betsson AB holds licenses in several regulated markets, including Belgium.[1] Since 2011, SAGEVAS S.A. has held an F license for sports betting and agencies, and since 2014, it has obtained a License B+ for online casinos. In 2013, it acquired the B license for casino games and arcade games through the acquisition of the company B&M, which previously held the license. In 2024, Betsson AB formed a partnership with the Casino de Middelkerke, owned by Groupe Partouche, which holds an A+ casino license.[2] betFIRST has emerged as one of the top three players in the Belgian betting sector.[3]
betFIRST was established in 2011 by Groupe IPM, a Belgian company with interests in media, advertising, travel, insurtech, investment in innovation projects, and sports betting. Initially formed by François le Hodey, head of the IPM S.A. press group, the aim was to create a new sports betting brand, betFIRST, to generate additional revenue for press shops and support print media.[4] [5] Notably, betFIRST is one of the few online sports betting operators that is 100% Belgian-owned. Sagevas S.A., the company offering sports betting under the betFIRST label, was a subsidiary of the IPM press group, publisher of DH.
In 2018, a Belgian bettor made headlines by winning an exceptional €225,971.99 on the betFIRST sports betting platform, a record at that time.[6]
In 2023, the IPM Group announced its withdrawal from the sports betting sector, selling betFIRST to the Swedish Betsson AB Group. This move aimed to strengthen Betsson AB's presence in the Belgian market.[7] The acquisition, valued at €120 million,[8] was facilitated by Sagevas, the company operating the betFIRST brand.[9] The IPM Group, along with family investors, held more than 50% of betFIRST, alongside CEO Alexis Murphy and French entrepreneur Jacques Elalouf, who owned over a third of the shares.[10] That same year, betFIRST announced the expansion of its supplier range by adding SYNOT Games to its game library.[11]
In February 2024, betFIRST further expanded its offerings with Stakelogic Live.[12] [13]
betFIRST offers a wide range of sports betting options, including football, tennis, basketball, and more.[14]
betFIRST provides a diverse selection of casino games and Dice Slots slot machines.[15]
In 2024, betFIRST launched an online casino in partnership with Casino de Middelkerke, leveraging its A+ license.
List of main shareholders at 15 June 2023.[16]
| IPM Group and family investors | 62% | |
| Jacques Elalouf | 38% |
betFIRST has engaged in several sponsorships, including partnerships with the Elite Series in 2020,[17] sponsorship of the BNXT League in 2021,[18] [19] and becoming the New Jersey sponsor of the Royal Antwerp Football Club in 2022. This collaboration marked a significant partnership between the club and betFIRST, establishing the latter as one of the major sponsors of the Royal Antwerp Football Club for the next five seasons.[20] In 2023, the Royal Antwerp Football Club became the Belgian champion and won the Belgian Cup.[21]