Belgian land based casinos in difficultySince the 1st of July 2011 it has been strictly forbidden to smoke in public places in Belgium. This law has consequently had an impact on gaming establishments which have seen a sharp decrease in their revenue. In fact, it is difficult for smokers to stop their game to go outside to smoke. Players who smoke enjoy gambling while having a cigarette and have difficulty separating them. This is why more and more of them are deserting casinos.
Anti- smoking laws in Belgian casinosThe Belgian casinos must obey to this anti-smoking law which causes them great harm. This measure has accelerated the fall of casinos and even more so since they are already victims of a persistent economic crisis and a lack of interest in traditional games and poker. The Dinant Casino is a good example of this. When the Partouche Group bought this casino in 2008, it planned to revitalize it. Large investments were made and the establishment again attracted players. However this rush didn’t last long and the casino management had to take radical measures to save their establishment. They had the difficult task of letting 16 employees go over 2 years and it seems that 8 jobs are again under threat. The SETca ( FGTB employees, technicians and executives trade union) is worried about the uncertainty hovering over casino employees. All of this creates a depressing atmosphere within the casinos. The trade union feels that the casino managements should put in place a reduction in hours worked in order to avoid redundancies.All the Belgian casinos are in the same situation as the Dinant Casino in particular the Namur Casino which was forced to reduce its staff. Even if these redundancies have been the result of voluntary departures and retirements, it could be that the next wave will be forced redundancies.
Anti- smoking laws in Belgian casinosThe Belgian casinos must obey to this anti-smoking law which causes them great harm. This measure has accelerated the fall of casinos and even more so since they are already victims of a persistent economic crisis and a lack of interest in traditional games and poker. The Dinant Casino is a good example of this. When the Partouche Group bought this casino in 2008, it planned to revitalize it. Large investments were made and the establishment again attracted players. However this rush didn’t last long and the casino management had to take radical measures to save their establishment. They had the difficult task of letting 16 employees go over 2 years and it seems that 8 jobs are again under threat. The SETca ( FGTB employees, technicians and executives trade union) is worried about the uncertainty hovering over casino employees. All of this creates a depressing atmosphere within the casinos. The trade union feels that the casino managements should put in place a reduction in hours worked in order to avoid redundancies.All the Belgian casinos are in the same situation as the Dinant Casino in particular the Namur Casino which was forced to reduce its staff. Even if these redundancies have been the result of voluntary departures and retirements, it could be that the next wave will be forced redundancies.
Belgian Casinos are Worried
