CR83-p02&03-International:SJC-Casino Review 23/8/09 01:35 Page 2
internationalcasinoreview
Goa goes all out to sink offshore sector
The Goa government is looking to close all six offshore
casinos which it says are operating ‘without proper
permits’. State minister of port Francisco Pacheco
confirmed that the Pride of Goa, The Leela, Casino
Royale, San Domingo and the Caravela all moored on the
river Mondovi will be closed by the State. The remaining
venue, the MV Arabian Sea King, will be closed when its
licence expires in October.
Uruguay government to
privatise entire sector
The privatisation of the Hotel-Casino
Carrasco in Montevideo last year has paved
Harrah’s Conrad
Punta del Este:
the way for many similar processes the currently the only
length and breadth of Uruguay, where the
privately owned
casino in operation
government is to privatise its casino
interests. Phil Martin reports.
twentyfour seven casinos which are
URUGUAY jointly operated by the state
and private groups.
The Uruguayan government The finance ministry’s Fer-
is to launch public tenders to nando Nopitsch, head of the
sell off its interests in 24 state- Dirección General de
owned casinos at the end of Casinos, said that the govern-
September, signalling the ment had already progressed
most aggressive expansion with its privatisation plans
opportunity since the by granting Argentine opera-
relaunch of Chile’s casino tor Boldt the licence to run
sector four years ago. the casino in the city of
The move follows on from Rivera, close to the Brazilian
the award of a 30-year oper- border, for US$20m. The
ating licence for the iconic border with Brazil is a hotbed
Hotel-Casino Carrasco to of gaming opportunity due
French hotel group Sofitel to South America’s largest
and Spanish casino operator country continuing its
Codere. The group is to stance of no casino gaming.
invest US $63m in the com- Nopitsch said tenders would
plete refurbishment of the be launched for state owned
Art Deco property to turn it casinos at four towns along present outlines for new Gaming Revenues with the Florida slot hall being devel- Colonia, Canelones, Piriápo-
into a 5-star casino hotel and the border as well as in the casino projects in luxury tables accounting for the oped alongside a convention lis, Rocha, Cerro Largo and
the Uruguayan government cities of Flores, Florida and four star hotels. remaining 8.66 per cent. centre and the Trinidad the Tacuarembó, Riviera.
wants similar levels of Paysandú. The move to privatise The 13 new licences will venture to be housed in a From 2004-2008, the
investment to improve its He hopes that a crack- follows the launch of a include slot halls in the two hotel in Parque Andresito. casinos of the state showed a
existing facilities. down on illegal slot tender process for 13 slot remaining regional capital But the projects will be well growth, except in 2006, in
Harrah’s Conrad Punta del machines will help attract hall licences. cities that don’t currently spread. The slot only venues which they decreased
Este resort is the only wholly foreign investment in the The emphasis on slots in offer slots, namely Florida are also planned for the Gran slightly. The gaming sector
privately-owend casino in casino sector. Uruguay is huge with and Trinidad. Both these will Hotel Salto and the five-star grew slightly in 2008, gener-
the country in operation, The government may machine gaming accounting be developed as tourist hotel Arapey Resort, the city ating US$151.6m compared
although there are a further also allow investors to for 91.34 per cent of Gross developments with the of Paysandú, Atlántida, to US$128.1m.
Third Hungarian super
site gets go ahead
threed Transdanubia region. There are currently five
HUNGARY The finance ministry casinos operating in
launched a tender for the Hungary, two in Budapest
The new super casino sector project in February this year and one each in Sopron,
in Hungary is starting to take with only KC Bidding Gyor and Kecskemet. The
shape with a third category lodging any interest. The government operates the
one casino being approved. investment group behind the casinos in Gyor and
Two operators join Dragonara’s
KC Bidding has been plans are composed of Kecskemet, while the
given the licence to operate American, Israeli, German others run on a
owners in casino quest
a E1.5bn tourist complex, and Hungarian concession basis. None of
including a casino at King’s businessmen, including the five casinos are
City tourist-complex at Israeli-Hungarian Joav Blum. category I.
Hungary's Lake Velence, on
dragonsden submitted by: Dragonara ernment said in a statement. the outskirts of Sukoro.
MALTA Casino, Tomino and Novo- MIMCOL, acting on behalf The 1,500 slot, 100
matic Peninsula consortium. of the Government of Malta gaming table project follows
The Dragonara Casino in “The government also and Casma Ltd, has this year on from the granting of
Malta has attracted attention aims to ensure that the Drag- initiated a competitive similar concessions granted
from two operators as well as onara Casino will provide tender process for the award to Hard Rock and Euro
the current owners all an upscale and unique of a new 10 year-term con- Vegas in Bezenye in the
charged with enhancing the gaming experience, cession for the manage- North West of the country
venue’s success within the backed-up by leading edge ment, operation and and Plaza Centers’ Dream
sector if they were to win out. gaming equipment and development of the busi- Island in Budapest
Proposals have been technology and excellent ness activities of the Drago- This latest 20-year licence
received at MIMCOL offices, customer service,” the gov- nara Casino Complex. will be located in the Central
September 2009 • internationalnews 3
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