CR65-p02&03-Euro 2&3:SJC-Casino Review 17/2/08 00:37 Page 1
casinoreview
Olympic to enter Slovakia
Lucien Barrier is many more playing in
Olympic Entertainment Group has obtained a license to allow it to operate in the Slovakian
holding the first poker seven side events and
gaming market. This is the first new license that has been issued to casino operators in
two qualifiying events.
Slovakia in the last ten years. The company plans to invest 5m euros in its first Olympic
First poker
tournament ever in
Brittany in the west of The tournaments will
Casino. Casino revenues in Slovakia reached 204m euros in 2006, an increase of 25 per
tournament
France. The Texas take place in the
cent from 2005. The first Olympic Casino in Slovakia is scheduled to be opened in the
in Brittany Hold’em event, the prestigious gala salon
summer 2008. The flagship casino will be opened in the Radisson SAS Carlton Hotel in
third in Barrière Poker at Dinard. In April
the centre of Bratislava. The casino will have approximately 1,000 square metres of floor
Tournament series, further events will
space and it will be equipped with 61 modern slot machines and 11 gaming tables.
will take place at the take place at the new
Casino Barrière de casino in Toulouse
Dinard from 28 and at Enghien-les-
February to 2 March. Bains.
EUROPEANNEWS
120 players are
expected to take part
in the main event with
The operational commitment to the ambitious Gran Scala destined for the Spanish deserts is growing
with Novmatic lending its support and interest to the project during the International Casino Exhibition.
Dutch Justice
minister pulls
Novomatic signs
online vote
commitment to
trialsandtribulations
THE NETHERLANDS
operate at Gran Scala
The Minister of Justice in the Netherlands,
Hirsch Ballin, has postponed a vote in the
Dutch First Chamber on a Bill that would
allow the state-owned Holland Casino to
begin a trial to operate an online casino.
grandesigns The upper house of the Dutch parliament
SPAIN had been scheduled to decide on the
matter on 5 February.
The operating arm of Novomatic has signed “The Justice Minister asked to postpone
an agreement to develop at least one casino the decision because he wants to provide
license at the Gran Scala project planned for the senators with more detailed information
Los Monegros, Aragón, one of the most arid about the law and its implications,” Carla
desert regions of Spain. Krul, spokeswoman for Holland Casino,
The agreement was signed in London told Casino Review. “He has not yet set a
during the International Casino Exhibition. date when the matter will be revisited.”
International Leisure Development (ILD), The Dutch have been debating the issue
the promoter behind the complex, declared of trialling a state-sanctioned online casino
that Novomatic is the ninth confirmed for at least three years. Several plans have
casino operator to have signed up for the been put forward and fallen by the
Gran Scala development, meaning the wayside. A year ago Holland Casinos
project’s planners are closing in on their began developing a sophisticated solution
target for the first phase of the project, with Cryptologic that includes high levels
which needs between 12 and 14 casinos. of security, player protection and anti-
The first phase of the huge development crime measures. Regardless of the state-
aims to be open by Autumn 2010. owned status of the company, its system is
Novomatic’s communications director one of a number put forward by land-
Dave Orrick said: “This will be something based operators that could offer regulators
completely new to European gaming and similarities between the area chosen and replica of the Pentagon, which will serve as a way out of the legal minefield they find
although it is something of a cliché, it really Las Vegas and perhaps even Macau.” a hotel in Spyland, a theme park dedicated themselves in. All that remains is to test
could be the first case of Las Vegas coming to Orrick wouldn’t be drawn on which to espionage, as well as a water park and a how it operates in the real world.
Europe. We have operational experience all theme casinos Novomatic would apply to space themed leisure park. The develop- The Dutch government wants the trial to
over Europe and having seen the plans, every- develop, but did say: “There’s no reason why ment also aims to include a bullring, bring- go ahead and it was because there were
body at Novomatic felt this was a project that the concept of themed casinos wouldn’t ing a slice of Spanish culture to proceedings. fears of the Bill being rejected by senators
the company should be involved in.” work in Europe.” The British-based consortium, ILD, opted that it has been withdrawn for the time
Although it doesn’t operate fully fledged In all, Gran Scala’s development cost will for on 2,000 hectares in eastern Spain after being. Minister Ballin wants them to grasp
casinos in its native Austria, Novomatic does top $17bn but it will easily be Europe’s options to develop the project in Dubai and fully what is being proposed.
operate 300 gaming machines and offers largest casino complex. France were scuppered. The region will Even if the First Chamber does eventu-
sports betting at Casino Admiral Prater in Only one other operator, the Tranchant benefit from a new infrastructure with mil- ally approve the Bill, there are questions
the heart of Vienna. It has hugely successful Group from France, has so far made its inten- lions of euros being spent on nearby Zaragoza, over whether it would fall foul of Euro-
operations in Switzerland and the Czech tions public. improving its transport connections in time pean rules on cross-border services: but
Republic, Croatia, the Balkans, South Africa ILD hopes the project will eventually for next year’s World Expo, making it the ideal with an entirely state-owned casino
and is involved in a big project in Chile. include 32 themed casinos boasting Egypt- location, according to ILD. However, the exact industry, and no online gambling legal at
Orrick added: “We recognise that Gran ian pyramids and Roman temples, 70 hotels, location has not been determined yet as all in the Netherlands, its case is rather
Scala is ambitious but feel there are many 232 restaurants and 500 shops, alongside a reportedly the land hasn’t been bought. stronger than Germany’s.
Leaked letter sparks fury over super-sized fiasco
< Continued from page 1 The Department for Scottish ministers. This was the loss of the casino would prize being offered.” dent Carole Walker com-
will appeal to the major US Culture Media and Sport a statutory requirement and mean the end of a major Officials are reportedly mented: “Tony Blair was
operators and would be (DCMS), however, has part of the consultation regeneration project, which considering a legal chal- very keen on the idea of a
better suited to local oper- denied that the regional process. He wouldn’t be would have brought 3,000 lenge if the city doesn’t get super-casino to regenerate
ators. casino is dead in the water making a decision until he jobs and a huge injection of the casino, especially con- run down areas. Gordon
“They have the worst of despite mass media cover- had consulted them on much-needed investment sidering the cost of all the Brown made it plain when
all worlds,” he said. “They age to the contrary. their views.” to one of the city’s most research, reports and meet- he took over as prime min-
have casinos that won’t drive “We’re still considering The DCMS added that a deprived areas. ings that the issue has ister he didn’t share that
visitors in from further away the options and we’ve not decision on the matter, The Chamber’s Angie already generated. view. I think there’s going
and they’ll just have larger announced when we are including the 16 new large Robinson wrote: “The other The stark truth of the to be some bitter disap-
places that take more of the going to make that decision and small casinos, would be 16 casino bids which were matter is, had Tony Blair not pointment in Manchester
money off the local people. yet,” a spokesperson said. made ‘shortly’ with specula- chosen will still go ahead, stepped down from his posi- where campaigners had
If we’d have known the game “There has been quite a lot tion that it might be which seems very unfair to tion 2008 could be looking hoped this would bring
was stacked against us, we of press recently because of announced next week. Manchester. The top prize is very different for the British thousands of jobs to the area
wouldn’t have wasted jet fuel the letter the secretary of Manchester’s Chamber being taken away from us, casino industry. and regenerate a rundown
going over there.” state sent to the Welsh and of Commerce has said that without any consolation BBC political correspon- part of the city.”
2 March 2008 europeannews
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