Turbulent Times for
Middle East Casinos
Lorien Pilling, Research Director at Global Betting and T Tunisia
Protests and unrest in Tunisia in January 2011 were the catalyst for similar action in other neighbouring countries. President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was forced into exile by the people’s protests after more than two decades in power.
But several years before this current unrest Tunisia’s casino sector had already been shrinking with a number of properties closing. GBGC’s research suggests that there are three remaining casinos still operating. Four casinos are believed to have closed their doors over the last decade.
The French casino operator Groupe Partouche runs the Grand Casino Djerba on the island of Djerba, which is a popular destination for tourists. Tunisia’s other two casinos are in another popular tourist resort of Hammamet. With governments advising caution to any of their citizens choosing to
Gaming Consultants looks at how casinos are faring in the wake of protests and violence in the Middle East
he protests and violence in countries across North Africa and the Middle East in the early months of 2011 have shown how rapidly the geopolitical situation in the region can change. Of
course, running any business in such a volatile environment is fraught with risk and the region’s casinos are by no means exempt. The majority of the casinos are intended for the international tourist market and, as a result, their fortunes have waxed and waned over the decades amid wars, revolutions and different political regimes.
travel to Tunisia in the present climate, visitor numbers to the casinos can only suffer if the country’s political uncertainty persists.
Egypt
The anti-government protests in Tunisia inspired similar action in other countries and Egypt saw large demonstrations in the capital Cairo in January and February 2011. After several weeks of protests President Hosni Mubarak resigned from power after 30 years’ rule.
Egypt has a much more developed casino sector than Tunisia. There are around 30 casinos in Egypt. Most of these are to be found in Cairo but the tourist resort of Sharm el Sheikh on the Red Sea coast also has around half a dozen casinos attached to the hotel resorts, such as the Sonesta Beach Resort and Casino, Coral Bay Resort and Casino, and the Casino Royale in the Maritim Jolie Ville Resort which is run by Casinos Austria International (CAI). CAI also runs the Casino Semiramis at the Semiramis InterContinental Hotel in Cairo, which opened in 1990.
As well as CAI there are a number of other international casino companies involved in the Egyptian market. The International Group of Gaming and Resorts runs three casinos in Cairo, including Les Ambassadeurs Casino in the Pyramisa Hotel.
London Clubs International has been in the Egyptian casino market for over a decade and has
casino life magazine 29
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36