Spanish gaming group Cirsa has taken a majority stake in Sociedade Figueira Praia, the operator of Casino Figueira, giving the company its first physical casino in Portugal after two years of running an online-only business there.
Cirsa announced on July 20, 2026 that it had agreed to buy a majority holding in Sociedade Figueira Praia, S.A., the company behind Casino Figueira in the coastal city of Figueira da Foz. The purchase price was not disclosed. Portugal’s gambling regulator, the Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos (SRIJ), a unit of state tourism body Turismo de Portugal, oversees both the land-based concession and the online licences involved.
Key Facts:
• Cirsa took a majority stake in Sociedade Figueira Praia, S.A., operator of Casino Figueira, announced July 20, 2026 — iGaming Business
• Casino Figueira has held a gaming licence since 1948 — iGaming Business
• Cirsa posted operating revenue of €623 million and operating profit of €194 million in Q1 2026 — iGaming Business
• Portugal’s online gross gaming revenue hit €323.7 million in Q1 2026, up from €284.7 million a year earlier — SRIJ
• The deal is funded from existing cash, with no material effect on group leverage — Cirsa
What exactly did Cirsa buy?
Sociedade Figueira Praia runs Casino Figueira, a city-centre complex combining gaming floors with restaurants and live entertainment. Its concession history stretches back to 1948. Cirsa has not published the size of the majority stake, saying only that the multiple is consistent with its earlier transactions and that the acquisition will be paid for from existing cash.
“Casino Figueira is a landmark asset within Portugal’s entertainment industry, with a strong track record and a management team that brings deep market expertise,” said Antonio Hostench, chief executive of Cirsa. (iGaming Business)
Why does a single seaside casino matter?
Because of what it completes. Cirsa entered Portugal in December 2024 by buying online operator CasinoPortugal.pt, but had no retail footprint to pair with it. Executive chairman Joaquim Agut framed the combination as strengthening the group’s ability to deliver an integrated offering across online and retail channels.
It is also the second Cirsa deal announced this month, after a majority acquisition of Paraguay’s Slots del Sol. The group has completed more than 130 acquisitions since 2015 and listed publicly in June 2025, raising €400 million. The cadence is the story: Cirsa is buying small, licensed, cash-generative assets in regulated markets rather than chasing megadeals, a pattern also visible in Bally’s and Intralot’s £243 million move for Evoke.
What does this mean for Portugal’s regulated market?
Portugal’s online channel grew to €323.7 million in gross gaming revenue in the first quarter of 2026, according to SRIJ data reported by InterGame — a 13.7% year-on-year rise, but 4.1% below the record set in the final quarter of 2025. Online casino games accounted for €204.2 million, or 63.1% of the total.
Land-based concessions in Portugal are tightly limited, so a change of control at an established venue is one of the few routes into the retail market. Consumer-protection obligations travel with the licence: SRIJ operates a national self-exclusion register and advertising restrictions covering both channels.
What This Means for Bettors
The market impact is slow. Ownership changes at licensed venues rarely alter pricing or product immediately, but they do concentrate customer data and loyalty schemes across online and retail estates. One concrete implication, as analysis rather than guidance: players using both a Portuguese online brand and a physical casino owned by the same group may find their activity assessed as one account for affordability and self-exclusion purposes.
Jurisdictional snapshot: Portugal licenses online and land-based gambling through SRIJ under Turismo de Portugal, while neighbouring Spain licenses online operators through the Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ). Rules on advertising, bonuses and self-exclusion differ between the two, and products available in one are not necessarily lawful in the other. For how newer regimes structure entry, see our coverage of New Zealand’s 15-licence online casino framework. Details in this article are accurate as of July 21, 2026 and regulatory positions can change.
FAQ
Q: How much did Cirsa pay for Casino Figueira?
A: The price was not disclosed. Cirsa said the multiple is in line with previous acquisitions and will be funded from existing cash.
Q: Who regulates gambling in Portugal?
A: The Serviço de Regulação e Inspeção de Jogos (SRIJ), a unit of Turismo de Portugal, licenses and supervises both online and land-based gambling.
Q: Does Cirsa already operate online in Portugal?
A: Yes. It acquired the licensed online operator CasinoPortugal.pt in December 2024; Casino Figueira is its first land-based property in the country.
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