Estoril Sol and GAMING1 Launch Portugal’s Bold New Era

The first licensed online gambling operator is already out of the gate with a content provider deal.

Estoril Established

Estoril Sol Digital Online Gaming and Products Services, SA is an established brick-and-mortar operator across Portugal, owning and successfully operating brands Casino Lisboa, Casino Estoril, and Casino da Póvoa with a 64% total share of the local land-based market.

GAMING1 Partnership

EstorilSolCasinos online has already gone live with gaming content provided by Belgium´s GAMING1, in a joint management venture of the first licensed online casino in Portugal in which each party holds a 50% share.

New Website

The new website is EstorilSolCasinos.pt, now available to Portuguese players with 15 slot titles, blackjack, and two roulette variants and more content to be added from GAMING1 in the weeks to come.

GAMING1 Expansion

GAMING1 CEO Sylvain Boniver indicated his company´s goal to be “an all-round partner,” as opposed to just a content provider upon which it established its reputation, pointing out that Estoril Sol would experience additional benefits from GAMING1’s extensive iGaming industry experience.

Complementary Skills

GAMING1 International Development Director Gérard El Allaf further pointed out that Estoril Sol’s knowledge of the local market and GAMING1’s know-how would serve as perfect complementary tools.

Pole Position

Estoril Sol opened its doors ahead of two other licensees in Portugal. Gambling regulator Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos actually granted two more online gambling licenses earlier this year--to French operator Betclic Everest and Malta-headquartered Bet Entertainment Technologies Ltd.

However, shared liquidity issues have delayed the launch of online poker offerings in Portugal to no earlier than November 2016 as Portuguese regulators continue to debate, with the final decision subject to further review by the European Commission.

Seizing the Day

The unique Estoril Sol-GAMING1 partnership should be the start of a robust new era for online gaming in Portugal.