On the 2^nd April 1863, an Order of Prince Charles III has given François Blanc the exclusive right to run in Monaco the “Société des Bains de Mer et du Cercle des Etrangers”, which became Monte-Carlo SBM. The opening of the new Casino, in 1863, represents the founding act of the company. Close to the Casino, the Hôtel de Paris, the Café Divan (called later on the Café de Paris), and a spa dedicated to health and well-being, the Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo, have been built by François Blanc. Today, the Monte-Carlo SBM group is one of the main leading players in Europe’s gaming sector and is the leader in luxury tourism in Monaco, supporting the most important sporting and cultural events in the Principality too.