CR63-p08-Euro6:SJC-Casino Review 22/12/07 20:26 Page 1
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Russian Job Swap
Olympic Entertainment, which has seen Ukraine as
The news that the President Vladimir Putin has agreed to become Prime
a key part of its development strategy, has opened
Minister if the current First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev succeeds
him as president - a move drawn very much out of the political designs of
Olympic
a 14th casino in Kiev, a slots-only operation. The
1m euro Olympic Casino Shevchenko is located
Putin - holds out little hope of a radical change in the policy that will see all
opens 14th on the major thoroughfare Shevchenko Boulevard,
legal gambling decimated in Russia in 18 months’ time. Medvedev, also the
in Ukraine
and houses 42 modern slot machines and a
chairman of Gazprom, is certain to be elected given Putin’s backing. The job spacious bar area in 219sq m designed with an
swap is being interpreted by the Russian press as an orderly transition that ancient Greek theme. The company now employs
would allow Putin to come back if Medvedev proves ineffective. more than 600 people in Ukraine.
Could Kiev
There are hopes that Yulia Tymoshenko,
Ukrainian Prime Minister for the second
time, will see the political process
restarted and eventually oversee the
reform of the gaming industry.
become a
casino-free
zone?
The controversial mayor of Kiev is reportedly contemplating an
idea to banish casinos and slot halls to 30km outside the city
centre. However, continuing political turmoil in the country and
the man’s ever shrinking popularity are likely to frustrate any
such plans. Hugh Sorrill reports.
huffandpuff but which may take place a hovna Rada, the Ukrainian before the parliamentary attention, it is unlikely fied. A few years ago the city
UKRAINE lot sooner as his approval parliament, told the New elections because of fierce however that there will be of Kiev imposed tougher
ratings plummet. Region news agency: “This antagonism between the any movement for some requirements on casinos and
As the Ukrainian parliament However, the reality of the initiative…is pure populism, Orange pro-European time yet. that has certainly had a posi-
finally elected Yulia political situation in Ukraine behind which the city author- parties and ‘Blue’ pro-Russian “Nevertheless,” said Treti- tive impact on the overall
Tymoshenko Prime Minister means that any such plan is ities are hiding their inability parties in the country. Gov- akov, “we sincerely hope that quality of the service offered
in December, more than two unlikely to be destined for to solve the real problems of ernment was paralysed that the election of Yulia on the market.”
months after the parliamen- success. the city. Banishing casinos when the Orange President Tymoshenko will mean that He continued: “The idea to
tary elections, there was The remarks, says Dr Sergei from Kiev is not a real Yushchenko was forced to we can get some civilised prohibit casinos in central
speculation about the future Tretiakov, the president of prospect today.” accept his great rival and European-style gaming legis- Kiev is new and until now
of gaming in the capital Kiev, the Ukrainian Association of According to some other opponent Victor Yanukovich lation adopted in Ukraine.” there has been no meaning-
with mayor Leonid Cher- Gaming Operators, the only observers, the idea could as Prime Minister. The elec- One of the most important ful debate over it. In the
novetskyi publishing effective trade body for have been planted in an effort tion of Tymoshenko in spite operators in Kiev and Ukraine opinion of the Ukrainian
remarks on his website sug- casino operators in the to trip up Chernovetskyi. But of an opposition boycott is the Estonian company Association of Gambling
gesting that all gaming could country, are designed to stir while a policy of banishment could restart the political Olympic Entertainment. Operators, such a plan could
be pushed to 30km outside up the public. has been implemented in process. Andri Avila, the member of not be realised by law and
the centre. “There is no official plan, Russia, the same strength of There are now four bills board with responsibility for would not be possible in the
Chernovetskyi, a highly there are no official docu- government as exists there is relating to gambling and the company’s operations general context of the busi-
controversial figure with ments,” he told Casino not evident in Ukraine. Cher- gaming currently stalled in there, said: “Over the years ness-friendly economic
links to an extreme religious Review. “This is just a note novetskyi might be per- the Rada. It is hoped that the there have been various climate. At present we see no
organisation who has been about a chat with the presi- suaded to take on a course of parliamentary committees ideas in Ukraine about how direct reason to worry and
accused of gangster tactics dent and we think it is more action at which he would that must scrutinise the pro- to organise the gaming the high quality of our
and corrupt favouritism, is to do with a pre-election undoubtedly fail, damaging posals will once again be up market. Considering that gaming location is definitely
thought to be gearing up process.” him even more. and running by February. there are around 2,000 oper- one safeguard that these loca-
already for the next mayoral Mikhail Pozhivalov, an Ukraine has been in politi- With many other important ators in the country, such an tions will successfully
election, scheduled for 2010 Orange deputy in the Verk- cal stalemate since long issues desperately needing initiative is definitely justi- operate in the future.”
Ritzio buys three
Bulgaria rejects gambling
Prague casinos
law amendments
puttingontheritzio strategy and will see investment made to statusquo
CZECH REPUBLIC the casino floor. BULGARIA
Vitaly Veselko, CEO of Ritzio, said:
Russian casino and arcade operator Ritzio “Ritzio has been successfully operating its The Bulgarian parliament has rejected the
has bought three casinos in Prague, Gran Prix gaming clubs in the Czech Socialist-led government’s controversial
extending its reach and diversifying its Republic; that is why we saw this acquisi- amendments to the gambling laws that
interest in the Czech Republic. tion as a good opportunity to develop a would see betting and gambling firms taxed
Ritzio already operates 33 Gran Prix project further. It is important for us to on ten per cent of their profits, rather than
branded gaming clubs in several Czech provide our customers with all kinds of on ten per cent of their turnover.
cities, car race-themed gaming venues for gaming venues they want in all the coun- The government claimed the measure
the younger, trendier end of the market, in tries where we are a leading operating.” would see more money from the State
what the company calls a ‘retail gaming’ The acquisition sees the number of slots Lottery and the State Raffle go to support
format. The three new venues expand the operated by Ritzio in the Czech Republic the country’s athletes and would allow
company’s offering; they are all relatively rise to 547. Overall the company operates operators to compete more effectively with
small venues that offer slot machines, more than 900 gaming clubs, casinos and the internet.
electronic roulette and some table games. entertainment venues in 14 countries right The tax reduction would have also
The casinos will be across Eastern applied to non-state gambling operations, President Parvanov threatened to veto a huge
rebranded to Europe and increas- including those of Bulgaria’s richest man,
tax reduction on gambling businesses
take advan- ingly in Western Vassil Bozhkov, who owns the EuroChance
tage of the Europe, with lottery and the bookmaker Eurofootball. Socialist, said he would veto the amend-
Ritzio opera- Germany and Italy Opposition MPs accused the govern- ments if they got through. He didn’t have to
tional and particular focuses of ment of pandering to private business inter- as even members of the three-party coali-
marketing attention currently. ests. President Georgi Parvanov, himself tion voted against.
8 January 2008 europeannews
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