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CR75-p08-euro-west3:SJC-Casino Review 20/12/08 21:31 Page 1
internationalcasinoreview
New cards acting as ID for foreigners
British casino operators can now accept the government’s new
News
compulsory identity cards for foreign nationals as proof of
identification. From November 25 2008, the UK Border Agency started
issuing compulsory identity cards to foreign nationals. The Gambling
Commission has released a letter to the casino trade associations, for
EUROPE WEST the attention of all licensed casino operators, to advise them that
these identity cards can be used for identification purposes.
Local businessmen ready
Union
for Yarmouth’s Great battle
calls for
costs
The first head to head in the battle for to be
Britain’s new style casino licences has
emerged with local entrepreneurs in the cut
seaside town of Great Yarmouth
looking to better each other’s away
proposals a full 18 months before any
decision is likely to be made.
from
localknowledge better. Accessibility, he says, is
staff
UNITED KINGDOM key with his location easily
reachable by road, rail and
Temperatures might be as bus. Duffy believes that its byassociation
low as the current level of proximity to the town centre UNITED KINGDOM
optimism chilling many would mean existing busi-
British casino operators but nesses would feel the benefit The workers union GMB
things are finally starting to of this star attraction. He is about to enter talks
warm up on the east coast wants to add a 75-bedroom with casino operator
where a new style, large hotel, a conference centre, Stanley/Genting over
casino licence is set to gener- shops and leisure facilities proposed changes to
ate the interest that at one including a cinema and ten- working patterns across
stage all the new licences pin bowling to his site. the Genting UK casinos
would have commanded. The council appointed an
Existing amusement arcades on
Great Yarmouth’s Golden Mile
estate.
A matter of days after local independent planning con- The need for these talks
Pleasure Beach boss Albert sultant Richard Wingate to arises from the economic
Jones closed in on full plan- review the proposal pre- situation facing the UK
ning approval for his £35m sented so far with his view casino industry and the
The Edge casino blueprint for being to recommend Jones’ need to cut back on costs.
the harbour area, another The Edge for planning During these talks GMB
Great Yarmouth businessman approval. will ask the company to
reaffirmed his own bid to land The Edge will also focus on consider cancelling its
the resort’s large licence. auxiliary amusement and membership to the British
Palatial Leisure owner leisure products such as a 22- Casino Association (BCA).
Patrick Duffy, who has already lane ten-pin bowling alley, a GMB will ask the
spent more than £9m in his 10 screen multiplex cinema company to assess the
Palace Casino and Palace with 184-bedroom hotel, value of this membership
Bingo enterprises which alongside the large casino. If and look at the benefits of
opened in the town in Febru- planning approval is given, withdrawing from mem-
ary 2008, said he was now Jones will then have to bership which will save
ready to hand over his own become fully licensed. With the company over
£35m plans to develop his existing operator Aspers £150,000 per year.
existing facilities. already signed up for the launched highly successful and that it would be in the take the majority of 2009. Stanley/Genting operate
With Borough councillors project, this process is projects in Newcastle, region’s favour to have a large Any operator looking to 43 casinos of which five
already having given their unlikely to need any lengthy Swansea and Northampton. pool of applicants for the launch a counter bid would are in London. The
approval to Jones’ plans and approvals from the Gambling Head of regeneration at the tender process. He said other do well to look at how to company employs 4,300
passing them over to govern- Commission. council, Tim Howard, said operators would probably develop the council-owned people at these casinos.
ment regional office Go East, Duffy’s bid will face tough though that even in the lodge their interest after the Marina Centre located in the Cost per casino of BCA
Duffy was keen to sing the competition from the Asper’s current economic climate, council had completed the Town’s Golden Mile which membership for a London
praises of his own scheme casino firm teaming up with other casino operators would review of its licensing the council is desperate to casino is £17,504 per year
and suggest where it was Jones. Aspers has recently present plans for the project process, which was likely to turn into a visitor attraction. and for a provincial casino
£1,680 per year.
Adrian Baker, GMB
Organiser, said: “Casino
Doors close for UK’s newest casino
operators and licence
holders should be aware
that the credit crunch
which is impacting on
inthered was in financial difficulty. forced on the United trade in casinos needs to
UNITED KINGDOM The casino has been closed Kingdom’s newest casino be addressed from all
since, with a notice on the might well be a sign of the angles. Instead of just
Casino Red, a brand spank- door stating: “Due to credit crunch times but it looking at staff cuts, com-
ing new venue in the York- unforeseen circumstances doesn’t bode particularly well panies need to be more
shire town of Huddersfield, Casino Red is temporarily as the industry enters the year flexible in their approach.
has fallen victim of the chang- closed for business.” when finally some movement “Stanley/Genting’s mem-
ing banking climate with A source at the casino is expected on the promise of bership of the BCA is
sources stating that ‘funding said: “We have had to tem- the 16 new style licences. potentially a saving of
has been pulled.’ The £5m porarily suspend trading in The combined negative over £150,000 that can be
venue, the brainchild of Huddersfield. The rumours forces of the credit crunch, made with no adverse
former casino management are becoming wild and smoking bans, extra taxation impact on either GMB
software specialist EndX exaggerated. The truth is and the removal of certain members or the
owner Nicholas Boyes- the banks have not sup- gaming machines have so far company. Other compa-
Hunter, has been forced to ported us in the current eco- been blamed for the closure nies in the industry have
shut up shop after just eight nomic climate.” of nine casinos across the already withdrawn their
weeks of its grand opening. When or indeed if the United Kingdom but one, membership and it is
Workers were called to an casino will reopen remains Casino Red in Huddersfield, something that GMB will
emergency meeting and unknown. has been forced to shut after urge Stanley/Genting to
informed that Casino Red The temporary closure just a matter of weeks. consider.”
8 January 2009 • europewestnews
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