Cirsa

Cirsa is Spain's largest casino operator as of 2017.[1] It is a gaming and leisure company founded in 1978 and one of the world leaders in the sector. Since April 2018, it is owned by Blackstone. It has more than 14,000 employees and 212 companies present in more than 70 countries. In 2010 it had 88 bingos, 30 casinos and more than 50,000 gaming machines in operation. In 2017 it has a volume of approximately 150 casinos.[2]

Cirsa
IndustryGambling
Founded1978
FounderManuel Lao Hernández
Headquarters
Terrassa
,
Spain
Area served
Spain, Italy, and Latin America
Productsslot machines and gaming kits
Number of employees
14,685[3]
ParentBlackstone Group[4]
Websitehttps://www.cirsa.com/index.php?language=en

History

Cirsa was founded in Tarrasa in 1978 by Manuel Lao Hernández under the name Compañía Internacional de Recreativos S.A . and changed its name to the current one, Cirsa, in 1983. It is involved in the fabrication and distribution of different types of gambling machines.

In 1982, the company Unidesa was incorporated. Three years later, in 1985, the first casino was acquired: the Casino de Marbella.

The company continued its expansion by acquiring more casinos and launching different types of gaming machines.

By 1990 they started to expand their presence outside of Spain. It started with the Dominican Republic, then in 1991 went to Venezuela, as well as the opening of arcades in Argentina and the Czech Republic. Currently, the company operates in over seventy countries around the world.[5]

In 1996 Cirsa obtained approval for the commercialization of slot machines in the state of Mississippi, which opened the doors to the American market.

In 1999 the concession was granted to operate the Buenos Aires lottery, including the Puerto Madero Casino installed on two anchored ships.

In 2001, in alliance with the Lottomatica Global Bingo Corporation group, the company was created. That same year, the largest leisure center in Europe (4,500 m²) was inaugurated in Stockholm (Sweden).

In 2002 Cirsa sponsored the Argentinean club Chacarita Juniors.

In 2007, Nortia Corporation was created, based in Terrasa, to reorganize the group's activities: real estate services, gaming, art and corporate aviation.[6]

In 2012 Cirsa started sponsoring Real Betis.

In 2017 Cirsa started working in Peru, buying the companies Sierra Machines SAC and Inmobiliaria Rapid SAC.

On April 27, 2018 the until then president Manuel Lao, announces the sale of Cirsa to the Blackstone group except for the Argentinean part of the business. The company generated 349,328,000 million euros of revenue solely in the first quarter of 2018.[7][8]

In 2019 Cirsa took control of 100% of Sportium Apuestas Deportivas after buying the 50% it did not yet control for 70 million euros. Until that moment, Cirsa shared the ownership of Sportium with the company Ladbrokes Betting & Gaming, owned by the British group GVC Holdings.

On the 8th April, 2022, Cirsa announced the organisation had appointed Antonio Hostench as CEO.[9]

References
  1. "The World's Billionaires: Manuel Lao Hernandez". Forbes. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  2. "CIRSA - Qué es CIRSA". web.archive.org. 2010-04-20. Retrieved 2023-04-15.
  3. "Cirsa Gaming Corporation S.A.: Private Company Information - Bloomberg". www.bloomberg.com. Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  4. "Blackstone acquires Spain's Cirsa". iGaming Business. iGaming Business Limited. 30 April 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  5. Ortega, Pedro. ".: CIRSA - Casinos, Bingos, Maquinas de juego, Centros de apuestas, juego Online:, Salones de Juego :". www.cirsa.com. CIRSA. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  6. "CIRSA - Historia 25 años". web.archive.org. 2010-04-09. Retrieved 2023-04-15.
  7. "Cirsa Gaming Corporation S.A.: Private Company Information - Bloomberg". www.bloomberg.com. Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  8. "Blackstone acquires Spain's Cirsa". iGaming Business. iGaming Business Limited. 30 April 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  9. "CIRSA Appoints Antonio Hostench as CEO". European Gaming. Retrieved 20 April 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)


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