CR59-p16-Euro 9:SJC-Casino Review 19/8/07 14:16 Page 1
casinoreview
Olympic Entertainment year amounted to 573.3m Having recently entered the practice whilst the company
Group earned 196m kroons and operating Polish and Romanian also hopes to complete the
kroons (12.5m euros) profits to 108.6m kroons. Olympic markets, Olympic purchase of the leading
operating profits in the Compared to the second
preparing
Entertainment has now Ukrainian casino operator
first half the year 2007, quarter of last year the
for Slovak
started to make preparations Eldorado by this fall.
while the turnover turnover increased by for entering the Slovakian
Revenues race up to 12.5m
amounted to 1.03bn 52.8 per cent and net
market
market. In the second half of
euros for Baltic’s giant kroons. The turnover for profits by 84.4 per cent. the year the expansion plans
the second quarter of the will be continuously put into
With fresh international competition and new legislative Ritzio
threats looming on the horizon, these are interesting times for
the Polish sector. Nowhere more so than in the capital where
rising in
having seen one multi-million euros relocation, a further
refurb in Warsaw is looking to up the ante even further.
Romania
risingstar
ROMANIA
After only two years on
the Romanian market,
newcomer Ritzio has
already risen to become
the second largest
gaming operator in the
country.
Ritzio Romania, part
of the Ritzio
Entertainment Group
(REG), entered the
Romanian market in
2005 and now boasts 22
gaming clubs in nine
cities, all under the
Million brand.
Warsaw set for another
Comfort and service
have been the keys to
success in the Million
clubs, which provide
Grand redesign
clients with facilities to
watch news and sports
before and after key
games.
“A good start and
sensible business results
granddesigns we have already ordered new the gaming industry in Poland. after two years have
POLAND slots and new multi-level pro- But Dominik-Jakubowicz given a boost to our
gressive systems for the entire points to the positives. energy and sparked new,
Poland’s biggest operator Orbis Casino estate. The deci- “Despite the numerous threats interesting ideas for next
Orbis is looking to counter sions on what will be placed such as the VLTs, on-line year, which we are
recent market penetration where is yet to be made.” gaming, foreign companies confident we can
from foreign investors with a The venue is restricted by entering our market etc, our realize,” said Vitaly
refurbishment of its in Warsaw. law to operating just 30 slot corporation looks to the future Veselko, REG CEO.
Whilst its hand was forced machines, with an even with optimism. Disposable Rival Astra may be the
somewhat by the owners of revenue split between those income is growing amongst largest operator in
the Grand Hotel’s own deci- gaming machines and the 15 Polish citizens and there is an Romania in terms of the
sion to rejuvenate the hotel table games, comprising increasing social approval con- number of gaming clubs
side of the property in which roulette, blackjack and the cerning casinos as another but it has been in the
Orbis leases its gaming floor, most popular game, poker.. form of entertainment. The market for 12 years. By
the timing of the renovations Dominik-Jakubowicz development of foreign contrast, in a mere two
allow the group to wrestle added: „The most popular slot incoming tourism to Poland, years, Ritzio Romania
back interest in its own opera- denominations in our casinos which saw an increase of 14.3 has opened clubs in
tions following much media range from 0.20 Polish Zlotys per cent between 2003 and Bucuresti, Pitesti,
hype concerning a mini- up to 0.50. In almost all of our 2005, instils optimism in all of Brasov, Ploiesti,
foreign invasion which has locations we offer mystery us. In our opinion, there is no Ramnicu Vilcea, Galati,
seen Canadian operator jackpots as well as multi-level room for more casinos in Vaslui, Bistrita and Cluj,
Century purchase a 33.3 per winning combinations on Warsaw. As regards other with a total of 643
cent stake in Casinos Poland selected machines: including Polish cities, there are still a gaming machines and 20
and Baltic’s operator Olympic Aristocrat’s Cash Express and few licenses to be granted. electronic roulette
take 80 per cent of Casinos Jackpot Carnival Hyperlinks, However, all casino operators tables. As well as
Polonia, a deal which led to WMS’ Jackpot Party and are waiting to see what the developing existing
the 7m euros development Mystery Magic from Atronic.” new gaming legislation will Million clubs, the
Casino Sunrise at Poland’s first Existing properties within the Orbis portfolio Despite the number of slots bring about. Of course we may company plans to
Hilton hotel. staying the same, there are consider opening new loca- launch 11 new clubs in
The Grand Hotel was built several other law changes tions depending on the cir- nine cities this year.
in 1957 with the casino ence facilities. It is after all con- layout of the hotel rooms, which could play a significant cumstances.” REG leads the field in
opening in 2001. “The build- veniently located close to the making them bigger and more part in the Polish business. Orbis Casino and ZPR SA, a leisure and
ing itself needed a complete city centre, with governmen- comfortable, as well as the Certainly, one of the more Media & Entertainment United entertainment in Eastern
refurbishment,” said Iwona tal institutions, banks and layout of the ground floor and serious threats for the gaming Group, already run ten casinos Europe. The holding
Dominik-Jakubowicz of Orbis other office buildings all that includes the casino. industry is the proposal from in total, plus another five slot employs over 25,000
Casino, “yet the renovation of nearby. As such the conference “The interior decoration of the Ministry Finance which halls. Of this ten another two staff in 12 countries
our casino was enforced on us side of the hotel’s business the casino will be changed a would introduce a new casinos in Warsaw: at The (Russia, Ukraine,
by our tenant. Our casino is model was being underplayed little bit, too,” Dominik- gaming act . Sofitel Victoria Hotel and The Belarus, Kazakhstan,
only six years old after all but but the casino, benefiting from Jakubowicz added. “We’ve They have already prepared Gromada Hotel, which also Latvia, Lithuania,
as we only rent the space from its proximity to numerous opted for a traditional, elegant, a new draft law on games of face competition from gaming Estonia, Romania, the
the Grand Hotel, we have to restaurants, pubs, designer Monte-Carlo style décor. The chance and mutual betting floors at the Mariott, the Hyatt Czech Republic, Bolivia,
act in accordance with their shops and other hotels, is also previous interior was a tradi- that calls for imposing a 10 per Hotel, and the Hilton. Peru and Mexico).
policy. The timing was unfor- looking to prosper. tional style, too, a little more cent additional fee on each But for now though all eyes Ritzio’s 2006 revenue
tunate for us, with a new Both elements have been modest, though,” she con- bet. The new act is now under are on the refurbishment at reached US$1,171.8m, a
Olympic Casino being open undergoing a thorough reno- ceded. “New slot machines are discussion. There is also the the Grand and the grand 68 per cent increase
in Warsaw.” vation for over a year now, definitely on the horizon. It possibility of video lottery ter- reopening, the timing of which compared with the
The main thrust of the 1m involving both internal and has not been decided yet what minals launching into the is of course in the hands of the previous year. Revenue
euros renovations were to give external work: exchanging of we are going to equip our Polish gaming market, which hotel but is expected to be in in 2007 is forecast to top
the hotel improved confer- HVAC systems, changing the casino with at the Grand but may pose a serious threat to October. US$1,600m
16 September 2007 europeannews
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