Hungarian billionaire István Garancsi has become the majority owner of the Sopron Casino after the Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) approved his company’s move from minority to majority shareholder.
Garancsi’s company, Futball Invest Zrt, purchased a 10% stake in Casino Sopron Kft. CAI Hungary Kft, the operator of the Sopron casino, is fully owned by Casino Sopron Kft.
Until now, Casino Sopron Kft was 45% owned by Garancsi’s Futball Invest Zrt and majority owned by Casinos Austria. With the 10% purchase, control shifted to Garancsi, making him the majority shareholder and replacing the Austrian owners.
With this move, Garancsi further strengthens his position in Hungary’s casino market. Garancsi now owns seven casinos, including the Sopron venue, five in Budapest and one in Debrecen. Only the casinos in Miskolc, Győr and Pécs remain outside his portfolio.
The GVH found no circumstances that would require an investigation under the Act on the Prohibition of Restrictions of Competition.
The Sopron Casino, Hungary’s oldest operating casino, was founded in 1989 by the Danubius Hotel and Spa Company and Casinos Austria.
Although it may not compete with the casinos in Budapest, the turnover of the Sopron casino has been steadily increasing almost every year.
In 2023, the turnover of the Sopron casino rose from HUF 6.2bn ($18.6m) to HUF 7.2bn in 2024, resulting in a profit of approximately HUF 1.7bn. Slot machines are the largest source of revenue.
This acquisition reinforces Garancsi’s status as one of the country’s dominant players in gaming.
The Orbán Government increased the limit on casino ownership, allowing a single owner to hold stakes in up to seven casinos instead of the previous maximum of five
