Wire EMEA
Holland Casino Swings to €80.7m Loss
Te pandemic meant that Holland Casino's 14 properties were open for only 71 days without restrictions and with visitation down by 60 per cent to just 2.5m.
Covid slashed 54 per cent off Holland Casino's 2020 revenue to €333m, resulting in a loss of €80.7m, down 190 per cent.
HOLLAND CASINO OPERATIONS
UK - BGC hails reopening of Scottish LBOs The safe re-opening of Scottish betting shops is “another step towards normality” for staff, their customers and the UK economy, according to Betting and Gaming Council chief executive Michael Dugher. Around 750 bookies will start trading again today for the first time in four months as Scotland begins to emerge from the latest Covid lockdown.
Between them, the shops employ 4,000 people, pay £80m in tax and £6m in business rates. As well as their own anti-Covid measures, such as Perspex screens and hand santisation facilities, the shops will also abide by a number of restrictions introduced by the Scottish Government.
These include the switching off of gaming machines, lower TV volumes and a requirement to provide contact details for test and protect. The Scottish re- opening comes two weeks after betting shops in England and Wales safely got back to business for the first time this year. According to a report by Ernst and Young commissioned by the BGC, betting shops across the UK support 46,000 jobs and pay nearly £1bn a year in tax to the Treasury.
UK - Maxima appoints Ferri Full-service compliance provider Maxima Compliance has bolstered its commercial operations with the appointment of its first chief commercial officer, Filippo Ferri.
Ferri previously spent more than three years as Director of iGaming Strategy and New Products at BMM Testlabs. He has more than 15 years of experience within the gaming industry, including roles at Inspired Gaming, GLI and Evolution Gaming.
Belgium - GAMING1 appoints GAMING1 has appointed Lana Khoury to the role of Chief Information Officer. Chosen for her ability to align business and IT by managing technology in pursuit of
an organisation's success, the position will see Lana build on the international awareness of GAMING1, as well as implementing organisational changes to support the company’s agile delivery model and data-driven focus.
UK - Clarion appointment Clarion Gaming has strengthened its senior team with the appointment of experienced marketer Jeannette Gilbert to the post of Head of Marketing.
Jeannette, who has 20-years of experience gained in the events, travel and tourism sectors, joins from Reed Travel Exhibitions where she spent over three years as Head of Marketing and Communications.
P8 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS
Te pandemic meant that Holland Casino's 14 properties were open for only 71 days without restrictions and with visitation down by 60 per cent to just 2.5m, it ultimately slashed 54 per cent off Holland Casino's 2020 revenue which came in at €333m, resulting in a loss of €80.7m, down 190 per cent. Te operator described 2020 as 'the deepest trough ever for Holland Casino' although it added 'Holland Casino has remained financially robust with a solid liquidity position and continues to invest strategically.'
“Despite the constantly changing circumstances and major challenges that this crisis year caused, I firmly believe that we will get through it well,” said Erwin van Lambaart, CEO Holland Casino. “Tis is due to the resilience of our people, general government support measures, focus on cost control and a clear strategic investment vision for the future. Together, this has meant that we were always able to anticipate the consequences of this crisis.”
Te resilience of the employees is the most important factor which has kept Holland Casino afloat. Some of the employees have worked extremely hard behind the scenes to implement all the ever-changing government measures every time. For the large group of colleagues who had to stay at home for months, volunteer work and social online activities have been made possible. Tis has resulted in touchingly beautiful initiatives.
To get through the corona crisis and secure the future of Holland Casino, a restructuring was announced at the end of 2020. Tese are necessary, sometimes painful measures, such as forced farewell to people who have worked with heart and soul for Holland Casino. It has been possible to maintain more than 90 per cent of employment.
Te coronavirus and the resulting measures had a major impact on Holland Casino's financial situation in 2020. Despite the fact that due to the closures of the casinos, income came to a complete standstill during the year, while costs largely continued, Holland Casino still has a robust liquidity position. Tis is partly because from the first closure in March, a second closure in November and another closure in December, costs were tightly controlled and use could be made of the general support measures from the government, the NOW scheme and the postponement of tax payments.
Te casinos were completely closed in 2020 for 143 days and for 151 days they were open with restrictions, leaving only 71 days where it was open without restrictions.
Te operator added: "At the time of the publication of this annual report, the casinos are still closed. It is currently expected that the offices will be able to reopen with restrictions sometime in the second quarter of 2021.”
Germany EGT Interactive broadens reach with Löwen Play
EGT Interactive has announced its expansion in the German iGaming market through a content deal with Löwen Play. Te partnership marks the beginning of a collaboration in which both companies have high expectations with further plans to expand into additional markets including Spain and Denmark.
Löwen Play is a well-known amusement arcade brand in Germany and EGT Interactive believes that its classic market compliant casino games will be a successful addition to the operator's offering in Germany. As part of the agreement, Löwen Play will offer a selection of EGT Interactive’s online games, including: Shining Crown, Zodiac Wheel, Royal Secrets, 20 Burning Hot, 20 Diamonds.
Todor Zahariev, the Managing Director of EGT Interactive, commented: “We are thrilled to enter into an agreement with such a famous operator in Germany. Löwen Play is a big name in the online casino industry, and we are excited to make our games available to their players.”
Marketing Manager, Marcel Freiberger, of Löwen Play commented: “With EGT Interactive, we are pleased to welcome a gaming provider to our portfolio who is, like us, committed to provide an attractive and reputable gambling product under the conditions of the new State Treaty on Gaming in Germany.
“We are convinced that the EGT virtual slots will be very well appreciated by German players.”
Malta
Evoplay has signed an agreement to supply the sportsbook and casino solutions provider Meridianbet with its portfolio. Under the agreement, the games studio’s content suite of more than 100 slot, table and instant gaming titles is set to launch across Meridianbet’s B2C and B2B operations. Meridianbet will gain access to a catalogue of titles including retro casino classics such as neon-lit Ice Mania, as well as Fruit Nova, Fruit Super Nova and the recent Eastern-inspired release Unlimited Wishes.
Licensed by both the UKGC and MGA regulatory bodies, Meridianbet has an extensive network across Europe, Africa and other global markets.
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