CR65-p08-Euro 6:SJC-Casino Review 16/2/08 23:00 Page 1
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Airbus has reported that be in service by 2012. With 50 Grand Casino Baden is to hold two European poker
several customers want to per cent more floor area than a championships concurrently this year for the first time. In
In-flight
install in-flight casinos into the Boeing 747, there would
Baden to addition to the €2,500 buy-in Seven Card Stud tournament,
super jumbo the A380, which certainly be enough room, and
host two
the 19th European Poker Championship will also hold a
casinos for is now in production and selling with around 525 passengers,
A380
to major airlines. The company enough of a market. How the
champions
Texas Hold’em event with a €4,000 buy-in. For the last
three years another EPT tournament took place at the
believes the first ones equipped constant motion would affect a hips casino during the same time but this year GC Baden is
with slot machines, card tables roulette wheel has not been running its own event. Players will also be able to play in the
and even roulette tables could discussed, however. sophisticated new VIP area of the newly refurbished casino.
A referral by Schleswig-Holstein to the European Court of Justice is the first significant challenge to the validity of
the new interstate treaty in Germany. The ECJ, reports Hugh Sorrill, could strike the treaty down in one blow.
Smoking
ban hits
German interstate treaty
German
under pressure already
casino
revenues
allornothing lastgasp
GERMANY GERMANY
The Administrative Court in The first indications of the
Schleswig-Holstein has referred the effect on casinos of the
interstate treaty on gambling in smoking ban that was
Germany to the European Court of imposed in Germany
Justice (ECJ). show that revenues are
The treaty, which bans most forms down significantly since
of online gaming, electronic financial its introduction at the
transactions related to gambling and start of the year.
imposes restrictions on advertising, Casinos in Hamburg,
came into effect amid much contro- Lower Saxony and
versy on 1 January 2008. It has already Schleswig-Holstein have
been the subject of an official com- reported takings in
plaint to the EU’s Internal Market January this year down
Commissioner, Charlie McCreevy. by 25 to 30 per cent
However, this formal referral to compared to last year’s
the ECJ is the first major legal move figures. Casino Berlin in
that could determine the treaty’s Potsdamer Platz has
legality. reported 35 per cent
The Court is looking for clarifica- fewer guests than in the
tion in the case of a Gibraltar-licensed same period in 2007.
online sports betting provider that Slot machine halls are
wants to offer its services in being hardest hit,
Schleswig-Holstein under the Euro- according to reports,
pean law safeguarding the free move- although these may also
ment of services. The company is have been hit by the new
being represented by gaming lawyers mandatory entry
Hambach & Hambach. controls. Rainer
Dr Wulf Hambach said: “The Admin- has already voiced its opinion that a not requiring it in others. Dr Wulf Hambach, taking the case Chrubassik, managing
istrative Court of Schleswig-Holstein - sports betting monopoly can only The European Commission said in
all the way to the ECJ
director of Spielbanken
like the European Commission - be justified by the goal of fighting a statement: “It should be noted that Niedersachsen and
believes that EU laws are being vio- compulsive gambling, if all legal in Germany horse race betting on the states want to insist on state-owned spokesman for the
lated. According to the ECJ, the provisions…with respect to the internet is not prohibited and slot gaming monopolies, they may be in German operators’
freedom to provide services also entire gaming market, and not only machines have been widely for even more lengthy and expensive association DeSIA, said:
applies to offers provided on the gam- those concerned with sports expanded. Moreover, advertising courtroom battles. “Many smokers are
bling market. Restrictions to this betting and lottery monopolies, are games of chance by mail, in the press “Courts in some other states will going earlier or not
freedom are possible, provided they made the subject of an examination and on radio is still permitted.” be following suit and referring coming at all.”
are aimed at pursuing general interest as to a systematic and coherent It continued: “The European Court similar cases to the ECJ,” said Even the privately
objectives and that the measures gaming limitation. of Justice has previously stated that Hambach. “Those in Minden and owned slot arcades are
taken are suitable and proportionate.” “The judge drew a very graphic any restrictions which seek to protect Stuttgart already have. This referral feeling the pinch, with
The State of Schleswig-Holstein analogy: if a state’s ban on or monop- general interest objectives, such as is much more important than previ- the Gauselmann-owned
has said that the interstate treaty is oly of wine or beer sales were to be the protection of consumers, must ous ones as it is the first time one Merkur-Spielotheks
designed to combat gambling addic- justified by the dangers of alco- be ‘consistent and systematic’ in how has been made on this issue from a seeing up to ten per cent
tion and to protect minors. The plain- holism, it would hardly be coherent they limit activities.” main proceeding.” fewer people walk in
tiff company has responded that the if other alcoholic beverages such as If the ECJ applies the same legal ECJ proceedings are notoriously their doors.
treaty is designed mostly to safeguard schnapps were still available over the opinion to the Schleswig-Holstein slow and the case is unlikely to be If the trend continues,
the financial interests of states in counter.” case, it would mean the end of the decided until early in 2009. “If the it will not only be
Germany and therefore cannot be The question being put before the treaty in its current form. If, rather ECJ decides to combine it with some operators with holes in
regarded as consistent and system- ECJ therefore is whether it is legal for than taking the route of licensing and similar cases, there might be a deci- their finances: states,
atic regulation. the state to justify a state monopoly regulating all gambling operators no sion sooner, although I don’t think it which take on average 80
Hambach continued: “The Court in one area of gambling activity while matter their ownership, the German will.” said Hambach. per cent of gross gaming
revenues in tax from
casinos, will discover a
significant shortfall. Last
Pro wins Innsbruck
year according to DeSIA,
8.9m people visited
casinos in Germany and
poker tourney
the national gross
gaming revenue reached
€923m, providing direct
contributions to the
pocketpair at the start, creating a prize for fifth place finish at the states totalling about
AUSTRIA pool of €72,675. EPT tournament in Prague €740m.
The winner was the well- in December. A drop of 20 per cent in
While the weather was cold known Austrian pro Third place in Innsbruck revenues at casinos could
outside, there was some hot Markus Golser, who took went to Johann Brolenius, leave finance ministers
poker action at the Casino the €23,255 prize from the Swedish international looking for €150m euros
Innsbruck Springchallenge compatriot Robert skier, who trains all winter to continue funding the
poker tournament 5-9 Feb- Gharibo, who took home in Innsbruck. He took home sports and social projects
ruary. The €1,500 buy-in no €17,442. It has been a good €13,082 while fourth Markus Golser (centre) the money has
limit hold’em freeze out couple of months for placed Johann Fest from receives his €23,000 prize traditionally been
event saw 51 players sign up Golser, who won €151,800 Germany won €8,721. earmarked to support.
8 March 2008 europeannews
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