Reunion: Casinos Resistant to the Crisis and Bet on the Future

Three of them together, the casinos of Saint-Pierre, Saint-Denis and Saint-Gilles would place fourth in the national ranking of 195 French casinos behind Enghien, Aix-en-Provence and Charbonnières, but before Amnéville, Deauville, Bordeaux, and many other prestigious gaming establishments in the country.

With a gross gaming revenue (GGR, equivalent in turnover for the casinos) overall 45,443,529 euros and 523,151 entries recorded in 2010-2011, the Meeting and its 800,000 inhabitants are displayed so as a land in which to play, and offer the game

While the industry generally comes out shyly from a period of sharp decline in activity (-20% over the periods from 2008 to 2010), Reunion casinos have weathered the crisis that hit their metropolitan counterparts, resulting even the closure of an establishment last year. "Since 2007, laws on identity checks at the entrance of the casino, the economic crisis, and especially the law on passive smoking has been severe for casino owners," said Jean-Charles Ottavi, who has just taken the head of the casino of Saint-Denis. "But at the meeting, as is often the islands in general, Corsica or the Antilles by example, people have a temperamental player and still continue to frequent the casinos."

It is indeed one of the strengths of the casinos on the island: they can count on a mostly local clientele, and thus be less dependent on the vagaries of tourism. "The proof is that we have not even been affected by the crisis of chikungunya in 2006, unlike the Hospitality" abounds Dubrana Jean-Louis, director in charge of the casino of St. Peter since 2004.

"Miraculous, considering the crisis"

For almost 15 years, the South Point casino top casinos on the island, is now around 40th place national ranking. In 2011, he came down from the 41st to 42nd place, with a PBJ down 2.79%, to 16,522,486 euros and about 200 000 entries this year. "A slight drop, recognizes Mr. Dubrana. But restarting the year seems a little better. Above all, we are very happy that we maintain at that level. Given the economic and purchasing power of people is miraculous. "

And if the casino operator does not intend to enlarge a park slot machine which already has 115, "not to diminish the supply of game," the year 2012 will be that of a large rehabilitation program for real estate buildings housing the casino and adjacent hotel, The Sterne. Groundbreaking expected in early second half of 2012, "to thank our customers for more comfort, and thus maintain our leadership in the department."

For behind, it grows. With an ambitious real estate project, a larger offering of games and a new emphasis on the restoration component (see elsewhere), the new management of the casino of Saint-Denis intends to put the capital "in place that should be his own, "said Jean-Charles Ottavi. With a strong increase in 2011, having put building from 55th to 49th place national ranking (PBJ up 5.44% to 15,262,058 euros, to 189 537 entries), Saint-Denis returns on the heels of the Southern capital. And willingness of the municipality to support this expansion has yet to be demonstrated, with a resolution authorizing the purchase of 120 additional slot machines, for one fleet to 250 "bandits".

Poker safer

Saint-Gilles, after a great surge in 71st place in 2009 to 62nd place national ranking in 2010, remains the third casino Reunion, and still earns a place in 2011 (61st), with gross gaming revenue estimated at 13,658,985 euros to 133,314 entries recorded. Its director, Gilles Asencio, notes "a tendency towards stabilization", despite a slight drop in the number of entries, and no mention of major proposed changes for years to come. He noted, however, the fine appearance of the poker tables (the casino has five more), which generated a product of sets of around 400 000 euros in 2011.

Development of poker in which the meeting was no exception with the way Texas Hold'Em, and that is also felt in the casino business. The authorities also insist to recommend players to use the tables of casinos, safer than clandestine tables that have multiplied in recent years around the island. Circles where one is never safe from cheaters or bad payers, without remedy available.

Table games are still far behind the slot machines in regard to the gross gaming revenue of the meeting they represent nearly 95%. In aggregate, the islanders have won to 43,565,882 euros casinos with slot machines in 2011, for "only" 1,877,647 euros on table games.