Belgium's leading retail and online sportsbook, owned by Betsson AB since 2023, with a middling 'Average' 3/5 Trustpilot rating
Visit betFIRST →Pros
- Genuinely well-documented, long-standing Belgian Gaming Commission licensing (since 2011/2014)
- Backed by Betsson AB, a major international operator, since a EUR120 million acquisition in 2023
- 2024 partnership with Groupe Partouche's A+-licensed Casino de Middelkerke expands the casino offering
- Staff specifically praised as friendly and helpful in positive reviews
Cons
- 'Average' 3/5 Trustpilot rating - middling rather than strong
- Recurring complaints of withdrawal delays beyond the promised 48-hour window
- Technical/platform issues reported on both the website and in-store machines
- Customer-service responsiveness problems (unanswered calls, broken callback promises, non-functioning live chat)
- No welcome bonus - a legal restriction across the whole regulated Belgian market
Our verdict
betFIRST is Belgium's leading retail and online sportsbook, with a genuinely long-standing regulatory history and, since 2023, the backing of Betsson AB, a major international operator that paid EUR120 million to acquire the brand - a solid, well-capitalized foundation. The Trustpilot picture is honestly middling rather than either strong or alarming: an 'Average' 3/5 across 932 reviews. Recurring complaints describe withdrawal delays beyond the promised 48-hour window, technical glitches on both the website and in-store machines, live-betting odds that shift too fast to bet on reliably, and inconsistent customer-service responsiveness. At the same time, several reviewers specifically praise the staff's friendliness and helpfulness when support does engage well - a genuine positive we're not omitting. As required across Belgium, there's no welcome bonus on either product. Given the solid corporate backing and licensing history against a genuinely middling service record, we'd rate betFIRST as a reasonably safe but unremarkable choice within the Belgian market.
How we rated it
Trust & licensing (27%)8
Genuinely well-documented licensing history (Belgian Gaming Commission F and B+ licences since 2011/2014) and now backed by Betsson AB, a major international operator that acquired the brand for EUR120 million - a strong, well-capitalized ownership structure.
Sportsbook & casino (36%)7
Described as Belgium's leading retail and online sportsbook, now backed by Betsson AB and partnered with Groupe Partouche's A+-licensed Casino de Middelkerke for expanded online casino offerings.
Bonuses & value (18%)5
No welcome bonus - deposit/registration bonuses are prohibited in Belgium for both sportsbook and casino products.
Support & reliability (18%)4.5
Trustpilot rates betFIRST 'Average' at 3/5 across 932 reviews. Recurring complaints include withdrawal delays beyond the promised 48 hours, technical platform issues, unstable live-betting odds, and customer-service responsiveness problems, though staff are specifically praised as friendly and helpful when support does engage properly.
Welcome bonus
Quick facts
| Owner | Betsson AB (acquired for EUR120 million, June 2023); operating entity SAGEVAS S.A. |
| Licence | Belgian Gaming Commission F licence (sports betting, since 2011) and B+ licence (online casino, since 2014) |
| Founded | 2011 by Groupe IPM |
| Casino partnership | 2024: partnership with Groupe Partouche's Casino de Middelkerke (A+ casino licence) to expand online casino offering |
| Trustpilot | 'Average' rating, 3/5, across 932 reviews |
| Complaint themes | Withdrawal delays beyond 48 hours, technical/platform issues, unstable live-betting odds, customer-service responsiveness |
| Bonuses | None - banned in Belgium for both sportsbook and casino |
Where betFIRST is licensed
betFIRST appears on the official register in 1 country — 1 for sports betting and 1 for casino. We only feature it in markets where it holds a licence to accept you.
Europe (1)
About betFIRST
betFIRST is Belgium's leading retail and online sportsbook, established in 2011 by Groupe IPM and acquired by Betsson AB in a EUR120 million deal in June 2023 - a major, well-capitalized international operator now stands behind the brand. It holds a genuinely well-documented Belgian Gaming Commission licensing history: an F licence for sports betting since 2011 and a B+ licence for online casino since 2014, under the operating entity SAGEVAS S.A. In 2024, Betsson AB partnered with Groupe Partouche's Casino de Middelkerke, which holds an A+ casino licence, to expand betFIRST's online casino offering. On Trustpilot, betFIRST carries an 'Average' rating of 3/5 across 932 reviews - a genuinely middling record, neither strong nor alarming. Recurring complaints describe withdrawal delays beyond the promised 48-hour window, technical issues affecting both the website and in-store betting machines, live-betting odds that shift too quickly to place bets reliably, and customer-service responsiveness problems including unanswered calls and inconsistent agent communication. At the same time, several reviewers specifically praise staff friendliness and helpfulness when support does engage properly - we report both sides rather than only the negative. As required across Belgium, no welcome bonus is available on either the sportsbook or casino product.
