Political approach or boost to the Barrière group? Anne Hidalgo was recently taken short by Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet. Indeed, the latter is strongly opposed to the project of a casino in Paris.
Politicians for the Casino establishment project in Paris. The prefect Jean-Pierre Duport is preparing to submit his report on the closure of the circles of the Games to Bernard Cazaneuve, Minister of the Interior, while the UMP Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, causes the twists unwanted to the socialist mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, by opposing the project of a game establishment in Paris.
"The left eats its hat on this because they say that it is a way to recover not 15 million euros as the prefect Duport says but probably around 80 million. We are told that it would be more moral than the game circles but if we want to regulate the game circles we can do it too. ” Nathalie sees only financial advantages, but she also defends the Casino d'Enghein, belonging to the Barrière group. She explains her specificity: "Today there is a balance that has been found with a big casino in Enghien".
While Nathalie Kosciuko-Morizet does not hesitate she was taking part for the Casino d'Enghein, the CEO of the Barrière group himself, Dominique Desssigne, remains silent on this subject. We all know him a very certain proximity to Nicolas Sarkozy, which does not specially benefit from this political tendency.
The Casino of Enghein not very convinced
The monopoly available to date the Barrière group in Ile-de-USA has become a millionaire. In 2014, he made 10 million euros in net income, just with the Casino of Enghein, which represented 23 percent of the group's margin. Understandable that he does not want to share his gold mine.
And even if he had to take a possible call for tenders for a casino in intramural Paris, "it is not certain that 1+1 does 2 because Paris cannibalise Enghien who would lose a large tourist clientele", it is said in the entourage of desssigne.
In addition, no one has ever said that Paris would house only one casino ... the groups Partouche And Joa is watching for this opening.
The current mission of the Minister of the Interior is to find an alternative solution to the status of the circle Games of money. According to him, he is not restrictive enough and too subject to fraud. Following his problems the Minister of the Interior asked of the prefect Dupont to present a report containing two possible options: the reform of the status of the game circles by making them commercial company, or the opening of one or more casinos .
The government is clearly for the opening of Casinos although it could be complicated to modify the 1920 law prohibiting any casino less than 100 kilometers from the capital (Enghein is an exception), then creating a public service delegation Which requires the agreement of the Paris Council but it would seem that Anne Hidalgo no longer has the majority ...
Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet gets involved
Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet Indeed, forms a small team against the establishment of Casino in Paris, passing through environmental and communist voices.
And now, after many weeks of questions, doubts and reversal of the situation is the end of the adventure. It all started in April, the American government announced the start of a potential project to open a see several land casinos in the capital. After many reproaches and complications the project is canceled. The Casino of Engheins-les-Bains who saw too much competition must be delighted with the latter news knowing that he was and that he therefore remains the only casino located in Ile-de-USA.
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There will be no Parisian las-vegas
Bernard Cazeneuve finally decided after long weeks of debate. There will be no Parisian las-vegas! The prefect Duport who was in charge of this delicate file awarded his final decision. In there there is a recommendation for the creation of games "clubs" rather than the opening of Casino. These establishments, already numerous in London are more select (the players are selected on the component) and very supervised.
Since 2008, the city had already made eight of the ten close existing game circles in Paris. They were accused of having bonds with organized crime and transitting dirty money in large quantities. Thus, the opening of these clubs would be a good compromise allowing to satisfy the demands of game enthusiasts and to manage the origin of funds while minimizing the risk of tax fraud or other illegal action.
It must of course be remembered that there are very few European capitals not to have casinos. In fact, there is only Paris and Rome in this case! The Minister of the Interior will therefore focus on the creation of this project, to allow these game clubs to see the light of day in early 2016.
According to the deportation report, the unsettled game request in Ile-de-USA reaches the sum of 464 million euros annually. Not to mention tourists who still hurry in the American capital and who could also be attracted to these game establishments.
An unusual political scene
We had talked about it a lot indeed, but we were not the only ones. Because it turns out that this Parisian casinos project had also made a lot of noise from American politicians. Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of the city, she had publicly expressed her withdrawals on the subject. Casinos are not “his cup of tea” it would seem. But it was not the only one, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, head of the opposition, had also widely criticized this project, accusing the left of considering it for "strictly financial reasons". The president of the UMP group at the Paris Council added that this project was not a way to recover 15 million euros, as announced by the prefect Duport in his report, but probably 80 million euros annually. To support its argument, the latter had also said that if the government wanted to regulate the game circles, it could also do it. The latter had refused to meet the prefect to speak with him directly about this problem.
So in short, no terrestrial casinos for the moment in Paris but a new project that we risk talking and hearing about it for a long time. The government would explain that these clubs would be open during the 5 -year “test” period.
As in already existing game circles, there will be no slot machines in these clubs, but only table games. Such as poker, baccara and roulette. However, these game clubs will not be managed as non-profitable associations, but indeed as commercial companies.
However, these Parisian game clubs do not delight all the casinotiers such as the director of the Partouche group, Fabrice Pair who said that this project was missing from him. It is for the opening of real and large casinos in the capital.
Case to follow.
