From Austria to the World
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eport ‚ 08<br />
<strong>From</strong> <strong>Austria</strong> <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>World</strong>
6 A Sought-After Partner<br />
66 A Hot Tip(p)<br />
Contents<br />
4 Edi<strong>to</strong>rial<br />
6 The Group<br />
A Sought-After Partner<br />
12 Board of Direc<strong>to</strong>rs<br />
Short Biographies of <strong>the</strong><br />
Executive Management Team<br />
14 Casinos in <strong>Austria</strong><br />
Beat‘em all<br />
The 12 <strong>Austria</strong>n Casinos<br />
30 Food & Beverage<br />
58 A Stroke of Luck<br />
Panem et circenses<br />
34 Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International<br />
A Global Player<br />
14 Beat‘em all 34 A Global Player<br />
62 Virtual Reality<br />
58 <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries<br />
A Stroke of Luck<br />
62 win2day.at<br />
Virtual Reality<br />
64 WINWIN<br />
A WINWIN Situation<br />
66 tipp3<br />
A Hot Tip(p)<br />
68 Responsible Gaming<br />
70 Security<br />
Security in Mind<br />
64 A WINWIN Situation 78 In <strong>the</strong> Spotlight<br />
30 Panem et circenses<br />
74 Sponsoring<br />
Big Spender<br />
76 Employees<br />
A Winning Team<br />
78 Events<br />
In <strong>the</strong> Spotlight<br />
84 Supervisory Board<br />
Supervisory Board Report<br />
85 Financial Statements 2008<br />
Company and Consolidated<br />
Financial Statements<br />
92 Imprint<br />
Facts & Figures<br />
11 The Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Group at a Glance<br />
16 Guest Ranking 2008<br />
Casino Guests<br />
Gross Gaming Revenues 2004–2008<br />
17 Gaming Mix in <strong>Austria</strong><br />
Gross Gaming Revenues 2008<br />
Major Jackpot Payouts 2008<br />
61 <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries in Figures<br />
Total Sales 2008 by Product<br />
77 Employees by Company<br />
86 Financial Statements 2008 – Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> AG<br />
88 Income Statement for 2008 – Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> AG<br />
90 Consolidated Income Statement for 2008<br />
91 Consolidated Balance Sheet 2008
eport ’08 | Edi<strong>to</strong>rial<br />
(l. <strong>to</strong> r.): Paul Herzfeld (Deputy Direc<strong>to</strong>r General), Karl S<strong>to</strong>ss (Direc<strong>to</strong>r General), Dietmar Hoscher (Direc<strong>to</strong>r), Josef Leutgeb (Direc<strong>to</strong>r)<br />
Edi<strong>to</strong>rial<br />
Welcome <strong>to</strong> report ‘08, <strong>the</strong> Annual Report for Casinos<br />
<strong>Austria</strong> AG and its subsidiaries. report ‘08<br />
provides an overview of our key facts and figures<br />
for 2008 and also offers an insight in<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> exciting<br />
world of gaming, <strong>the</strong> broad portfolio of products<br />
and services offered by <strong>the</strong> Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Group<br />
and o<strong>the</strong>r key issues like CSR, responsible gaming,<br />
sponsoring and security.<br />
The Poker boom that began in 2006 maintained<br />
its upward momentum in 2008. This enthralling<br />
game, where a little bit of luck and a clever bluff<br />
at <strong>the</strong> right moment can decide <strong>the</strong> winner, continues<br />
<strong>to</strong> enjoy tremendous popularity in casinos<br />
around <strong>the</strong> world. This trend was clearly reflected<br />
at Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> not only in <strong>the</strong> many <strong>to</strong>urnaments<br />
hosted by our casinos, but also in <strong>the</strong><br />
launch of a dedicated Pokerroom on our online<br />
gaming platform win2day.at in February 2008.<br />
The only all-<strong>Austria</strong>n site of its kind, Pokerroom<br />
has already built up a loyal fan base. But our casinos<br />
offer far more than just Poker. report ‘08<br />
also takes a look behind <strong>the</strong> scenes at our 12<br />
casinos in <strong>Austria</strong>, before whisking you off on a<br />
<strong>to</strong>ur of <strong>the</strong> 63 casinos operated by Casinos <strong>Austria</strong><br />
International Holding on five continents and on<br />
board 11 cruise liners.<br />
In-depth reports on key <strong>to</strong>pics like security, responsible<br />
gaming, our staff, our ongoing support for important<br />
social issues and, of course, a comprehensive<br />
set of financial statements complete <strong>the</strong> spectrum.<br />
report ’08 also takes you on a trip <strong>to</strong> relatively unknown<br />
terri<strong>to</strong>ry: <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> Russian Republic of Bashkor<strong>to</strong>stan,<br />
where <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries are currently<br />
developing <strong>the</strong> Republic’s new national lottery.<br />
Last but by no means least, we would also like <strong>to</strong><br />
extend a very special word of thanks <strong>to</strong> our staff<br />
for <strong>the</strong>ir dedication and hard work and, of course,<br />
<strong>to</strong> our guests and cus<strong>to</strong>mers for <strong>the</strong>ir continued<br />
loyalty and support.<br />
We hope you enjoy reading report ’08.<br />
The Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Board of Direc<strong>to</strong>rs.<br />
Karl S<strong>to</strong>ss Paul Herzfeld<br />
Dietmar Hoscher Josef Leutgeb<br />
Edi<strong>to</strong>rial | report ’08<br />
| 4 | | 5 |<br />
Dear Reader,
eport ’08 | The Group The Group | report ’08<br />
GROUP COMPANIES<br />
MEDIAL Beteiligungs GmbH<br />
UNIQA<br />
Vienna Insurance Group<br />
Raiffeisen Group<br />
Bankhaus Schelhammer & Schattera<br />
100%<br />
35.4%<br />
50%<br />
33.3%<br />
5.3%<br />
<strong>Austria</strong>n Mint<br />
68%<br />
Bankhaus Schelhammer & Schattera<br />
56%<br />
100%<br />
100%<br />
26%<br />
Private Shareholders<br />
50%<br />
Organizational Chart (CASAG & Holdings)<br />
A Sought-After Partner<br />
At <strong>the</strong> end of 2007, <strong>the</strong> Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Group implemented a new corporate structure. In 2008, this transformation<br />
had already borne its first fruits: expansion in<strong>to</strong> new countries and new product segments.<br />
Russian hasn’t really been one of <strong>the</strong> languages<br />
most commonly spoken by staff<br />
at Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> throughout <strong>the</strong> company’s<br />
40-year his<strong>to</strong>ry. The Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Group has,<br />
of course, been doing business outside <strong>Austria</strong><br />
since <strong>the</strong> 1970s and, in addition <strong>to</strong> its 12 domestic<br />
casinos, currently operates 63 casinos in<br />
18 countries on five continents and on board 11<br />
cruise liners. We have operations in Western and<br />
Sou<strong>the</strong>astern Europe, <strong>the</strong> Middle East, Africa,<br />
North and South America, Asia and Australia.<br />
But not in Russia.<br />
But this was about <strong>to</strong> change: in 2008 <strong>the</strong> volume<br />
of communication received from representatives<br />
of <strong>the</strong> Russian Federation increased dramatically.<br />
On an almost weekly basis, our main office in<br />
Vienna was contacted by politicians, analysts or<br />
journalists offering or seeking cooperation opportunities.<br />
What had prompted this political interest<br />
was a resolution that had come in<strong>to</strong> effect at <strong>the</strong><br />
start of 2007. Under <strong>the</strong> terms of this resolution<br />
<strong>to</strong> <strong>to</strong>tally restructure <strong>the</strong> Russian gaming market,<br />
all existing casinos – including an estimated 2,000<br />
in Moscow alone – will have <strong>to</strong> close by mid-2009.<br />
In <strong>the</strong>ir place, <strong>the</strong> Russian government plans <strong>to</strong><br />
establish four new Las Vegas-style gaming zones.<br />
Located outside <strong>the</strong> main urban areas in <strong>the</strong> Altai,<br />
Krasnodar and Primorye terri<strong>to</strong>ries and <strong>the</strong> Kaliningrad<br />
region, <strong>the</strong>se new gaming centers should offer<br />
eve rything <strong>the</strong> heart desires.<br />
Needless <strong>to</strong> say, <strong>the</strong> provincial governments in<br />
<strong>the</strong> selected zones were not going <strong>to</strong> entrust<br />
an undertaking of this magnitude <strong>to</strong> just any<br />
casino opera<strong>to</strong>r. To ensure everything would be<br />
done by <strong>the</strong> book and revenues would be correctly<br />
taxed – a key argument for <strong>the</strong> respective<br />
Finance Ministers – <strong>the</strong>ir political representatives<br />
began looking for appropriate casino op-<br />
era<strong>to</strong>rs with international experience and an<br />
impeccable reputation.<br />
Their search quickly led <strong>the</strong>m <strong>to</strong> Vienna. Or,<br />
more precisely, <strong>to</strong> Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> when it came<br />
<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> question of who should operate <strong>the</strong> new<br />
casinos. But also <strong>to</strong> <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries, who are<br />
now already well on track with <strong>the</strong>ir first project:<br />
<strong>the</strong> market entry in <strong>the</strong> Republic of Bashkor<strong>to</strong>stan.<br />
With a population of four million, <strong>the</strong> Russian<br />
Republic of Bashkor<strong>to</strong>stan was previously only<br />
really known <strong>to</strong> a select few in <strong>Austria</strong>. But <strong>the</strong><br />
Republic has much <strong>to</strong> offer: rich oil reserves, a<br />
flourishing petrochemical industry, a good overall<br />
economic situation and plenty of potential.<br />
At <strong>the</strong> beginning of 2008, <strong>the</strong> Bashkor<strong>to</strong>stan Finance<br />
Minister himself contacted <strong>the</strong> management<br />
team at <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries. A few months<br />
later, an agreement had already been reached.<br />
The launch of <strong>the</strong> “Lucky Hearts” scratch-off<br />
lottery at <strong>the</strong> end of 2008 was a clear initial<br />
sign. The first draw of Bashkor<strong>to</strong>stan’s new<br />
national lottery is expected <strong>to</strong> take place mid-<br />
2009. The new lottery will follow <strong>the</strong> established<br />
formula used for <strong>the</strong> <strong>Austria</strong>n Lot<strong>to</strong> “6 aus<br />
45”, adapted <strong>to</strong> suit <strong>the</strong> size of <strong>the</strong> population.<br />
With this project, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> and <strong>Austria</strong>n<br />
Lotteries have successfully taken a very important<br />
step: linking <strong>the</strong>ir extensive know-how in <strong>the</strong><br />
lottery business with <strong>the</strong>ir international experience<br />
in <strong>the</strong> casino sec<strong>to</strong>r. They have also taken<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir first step in<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> new Russian market. In<br />
times of worldwide economic crisis, looking for<br />
potential in new markets becomes all <strong>the</strong> more<br />
important. There can be no doubting that <strong>the</strong><br />
Russian economy is currently being severely<br />
shaken, perhaps even more severely than West- �<br />
MISSION STATEMENT<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> AG and its subsidiaries offer highest quality<br />
gaming and entertainment. Reliability, extensive experience<br />
and respect for <strong>the</strong> special socio-political responsibility that<br />
goes hand-in-hand with gaming guarantee <strong>the</strong> trust of guests,<br />
cus<strong>to</strong>mers, inves<strong>to</strong>rs and, above all, <strong>the</strong> licensing authorities.<br />
Our shared visions and capacity for innovation promote <strong>the</strong><br />
ongoing development of <strong>the</strong> Group and safeguard <strong>the</strong> jobs of<br />
our employees. We encourage and value active participation<br />
and constructive input.<br />
| 6 | | 7 |
eport ’08 | The Group The Group | report ’08<br />
BUSINESS UNITS<br />
CASINOS AUSTRIA<br />
Karl S<strong>to</strong>ss<br />
Heads of Division:<br />
Andreas Cieslar, Dieter Salzgeber,<br />
Christian Schütz, Karl Vybiral<br />
BETTING AND SPORTS SKILL GAMES<br />
Dietmar Hoscher<br />
Heads of Division/Direc<strong>to</strong>rs:<br />
Erwin Binder,<br />
Philip Newald<br />
CORPORATE FUNCTIONS<br />
CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT<br />
Board of Direc<strong>to</strong>rs<br />
Head of Division:<br />
Peter Ulovec<br />
LEGAL AFFAIRS<br />
Dietmar Hoscher<br />
Head of Division:<br />
Peter Erlacher<br />
INTERNAL AUDIT<br />
Board of Direc<strong>to</strong>rs<br />
Head of Division:<br />
Erhard Peinthor<br />
PUBLIC & EUROPEAN AFFAIRS, CSR<br />
Dietmar Hoscher<br />
Head of Division:<br />
Markus Eder<br />
LOTTERIES<br />
Bettina Glatz-Kremsner<br />
Friedrich Stickler<br />
Heads of Division:<br />
Peter Ulovec,<br />
Wolfgang Leitner<br />
VLT / SLOTS<br />
Dietmar Hoscher<br />
Heads of Division/Managing Direc<strong>to</strong>rs:<br />
Wolfgang Sperl,<br />
Robert Vierziger<br />
HUMAN RESOURCES<br />
Karl S<strong>to</strong>ss<br />
Head of Division:<br />
Stephan Walder<br />
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES<br />
Bettina Glatz-Kremsner<br />
Head of Division:<br />
Erich Schuster<br />
CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS<br />
Karl S<strong>to</strong>ss<br />
Head of Division:<br />
Martin Himmelbauer<br />
SERVICES<br />
Bettina Glatz-Kremsner<br />
Heads of Division:<br />
Nathan Bomze, Oskar Berzsenyi,<br />
Reinhard Summerer<br />
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS<br />
Paul Herzfeld<br />
Josef Leutgeb<br />
Heads of Division:<br />
Erwin Binder, Richard Hainzl,<br />
Stefan Harra<br />
ONLINE GAMING, NEW MEDIA &<br />
OTHER SKILL GAMES<br />
Friedrich Stickler<br />
Bettina Glatz-Kremsner<br />
Heads of Division:<br />
Martin Jekl,<br />
Wolfgang Leitner<br />
FINANCE<br />
Josef Leutgeb<br />
Head of Division:<br />
Wolfgang Sperl<br />
CORPORATE PROCUREMENT<br />
Josef Leutgeb<br />
Head of Division:<br />
Alexander Kiss<br />
GROUP CONTROLLING<br />
Josef Leutgeb<br />
Head of Division:<br />
Alexander Frisch<br />
RESPONSIBLE GAMING,<br />
ADVERTISING, SPONSORING<br />
Friedrich Stickler<br />
Head of Division:<br />
Herbert Beck<br />
ern European economies. But when <strong>the</strong> crisis ends<br />
– as it is also sure <strong>to</strong> do one day – it will also offer<br />
<strong>the</strong> greatest opportunities for growth – opportunities<br />
that should not be ignored.<br />
The results for <strong>the</strong> 2008 business year clearly<br />
show that <strong>the</strong> Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Group is well<br />
equipped <strong>to</strong> stand its ground in difficult times.<br />
Despite strong competition in <strong>the</strong> gaming market,<br />
<strong>the</strong> introduction of new no-smoking regulations<br />
in a number of European countries and<br />
noticeable restraint among guests as a result<br />
of <strong>the</strong> crisis, <strong>the</strong> Group reported significant<br />
increases in a number of key indica<strong>to</strong>rs. 22.4<br />
million guests worldwide, an increase of 12.6<br />
percent year-on-year and 3.803 billion euro in<br />
revenues, a rise of nine percent, are <strong>the</strong> kind<br />
of results that speak for <strong>the</strong>mselves. The upward<br />
trend in guest numbers can be credited <strong>to</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> 63 Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International operations<br />
posting a 14.3 percent rise in guest numbers in<br />
2008. The clear growth in revenues can be attributed<br />
<strong>to</strong> a large extent <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> strong performance<br />
<strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries achieved with its Lot<strong>to</strong>,<br />
Joker, To<strong>to</strong>, Bingo, EuroMillions, ToiToiToi, Zahlenlot<strong>to</strong>,<br />
Rubbellos, Brieflos and Klassenlotterie products.<br />
Boosted by <strong>the</strong> first-ever five-time rollover<br />
for Lot<strong>to</strong> “6 aus 45” and a number of EuroMillions<br />
prizewinners in <strong>Austria</strong> in <strong>the</strong> double-digit<br />
millions, <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries reported an increase<br />
in sales of 15 percent <strong>to</strong> 2.378 billion euro in<br />
2008. Positive developments were also reported<br />
by <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r companies in <strong>the</strong> Group: WINWIN<br />
increased its number of outlets <strong>to</strong> 11 and will<br />
complete <strong>the</strong> dozen in <strong>the</strong> course of 2009. tipp3<br />
raised its profile as sponsor of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Austria</strong>n Football<br />
Bundesliga and scored a clear win during<br />
EURO ’08 with its professional sports betting services.<br />
win2day.at exceeded <strong>the</strong> 400,000 registered<br />
users mark, while <strong>the</strong> 12 <strong>Austria</strong>n casinos defied<br />
<strong>the</strong> difficult operating conditions, reporting a 1.1<br />
percent increase in revenues <strong>to</strong> 280 million euro.<br />
Gaming in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Austria</strong>n domestic market is subject<br />
<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> explicit approval of <strong>the</strong> Federal Ministry<br />
of Finance and <strong>the</strong> nine federal states (Bundesländer)<br />
of <strong>the</strong> Federal Republic. Every new game<br />
and every change <strong>to</strong> gaming rules and terms and<br />
conditions – no matter how small – must be submitted<br />
<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ministry for approval before it is<br />
implemented. Naturally, this makes a quick reac-<br />
tion <strong>to</strong> market developments more difficult. But<br />
it also serves as both guarantee and proof of <strong>the</strong><br />
particular level of care exercised by all companies<br />
in <strong>the</strong>ir individual areas of business. Every<br />
casino guest and every online user has <strong>to</strong> register<br />
according <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> rules and must be at least<br />
18 years of age. If necessary, casino guests must<br />
disclose whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>y have sufficient means <strong>to</strong><br />
support <strong>the</strong>ir gaming activities. When it comes <strong>to</strong><br />
responsible gaming practices, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> and<br />
<strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries are well known for setting new,<br />
exemplary standards.<br />
Ano<strong>the</strong>r strength that results from this special position<br />
is <strong>the</strong> Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Group’s clear commitment<br />
<strong>to</strong> social responsibility. In 2008, <strong>the</strong> companies<br />
in <strong>the</strong> Group contributed a <strong>to</strong>tal of over 70<br />
million euro (including <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries’ contributions<br />
<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> sponsoring of sports) <strong>to</strong> numerous<br />
humanitarian and cultural projects, as well as <strong>to</strong><br />
popular sports in <strong>Austria</strong>. In many cases, <strong>the</strong>se<br />
projects and causes could not have been fur<strong>the</strong>red<br />
without this support.<br />
The Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Group now employs some<br />
13,532 staff worldwide, including 2,332 in <strong>Austria</strong><br />
alone. Indeed, employee numbers in <strong>Austria</strong> even<br />
show a slight increase year-on-year, not something<br />
<strong>to</strong> be taken for granted in <strong>the</strong> current economic climate,<br />
and when one large company after ano<strong>the</strong>r is<br />
introducing short-time working hours or announcing<br />
major redundancy programs. The fact that many of<br />
our staff have been with Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> for well over<br />
10 years – and some of <strong>the</strong>m even for more than 35<br />
years – offers a clear indication that <strong>the</strong> chemistry<br />
must be right.<br />
But it is not only <strong>the</strong> economic crisis that has<br />
made <strong>the</strong> operating environment more difficult.<br />
Competition in <strong>the</strong> gaming industry is also on<br />
<strong>the</strong> increase, particularly from <strong>the</strong> many opera<strong>to</strong>rs<br />
crowding <strong>the</strong> legally contested areas of <strong>the</strong><br />
market. A forthcoming Amendment <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Austria</strong>n<br />
Gaming Act is set <strong>to</strong> reregulate and unify<br />
<strong>the</strong> market across <strong>the</strong> whole country. Clear statu<strong>to</strong>ry<br />
requirements regarding entry controls and<br />
regulations that will be applicable not just <strong>to</strong> operations<br />
run by Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> should ensure<br />
that all operations comply with regula<strong>to</strong>ry policies<br />
and that appropriate measures are in place<br />
<strong>to</strong> protect minors and players.<br />
�<br />
| 8 | | 9 |
eport ’08 | The Group The Group | report ’08<br />
The Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> and <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries headquarters in Vienna<br />
Only <strong>the</strong> State has <strong>the</strong> right <strong>to</strong> operate games of<br />
chance in <strong>Austria</strong>. The State has issued licenses<br />
<strong>to</strong> operate such games of chance <strong>to</strong> two companies:<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> AG is authorized <strong>to</strong> operate<br />
casino games, while <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries holds <strong>the</strong><br />
license <strong>to</strong> operate lottery games. As holders of<br />
<strong>the</strong>se licenses, both companies are subject <strong>to</strong><br />
strict conditions, state control and high taxes.<br />
The legitimacy of national gaming monopolies<br />
like <strong>the</strong> one found in <strong>Austria</strong> has been recently<br />
upheld by <strong>the</strong> European Union: both through <strong>the</strong><br />
rulings of <strong>the</strong> European Court of Justice and<br />
CASINOS AUSTRIA GROUP AT A GLANCE<br />
Revenues (win, registered tips, entrance) in millions EUR<br />
CASAG CAI ÖLG Entertainment Group<br />
2007 277 1,096 1,036 1,080 3,489<br />
2008 280 1,094 1,123 1,305 3,802<br />
+1.1% -0.2% +8.5% +20.8% +9.0%<br />
Taxes paid in <strong>Austria</strong> in millions EUR<br />
CASAG ÖLG Group<br />
2007 132 349 481<br />
2008 134 383 517<br />
Casino Guests in millions<br />
CASAG CAI Group<br />
2007 2.44 (+0%) 17.5 (+5.4%) 19.94<br />
2008 2.36 (-3%) 20.0 (+14.3%) 22.36<br />
| 10 | | 11 |<br />
Legal Framework<br />
Employees *<br />
**<br />
CASAG CAI ÖLG Entertainment Group<br />
2007 1,721 11,500 462 124 13,807<br />
2008 1,752 11,200 442 138 13,532<br />
Number of Slot Machines<br />
CASAG CAI Group<br />
2007 1,814 11,200 13,014<br />
2008 1,846 11,600 13,446<br />
Number of Gaming Tables<br />
through <strong>the</strong> repeated confirmation by <strong>the</strong> Commissioner<br />
for <strong>the</strong> Internal Market and Services,<br />
Charlie McCreevy, that he sees no grounds <strong>to</strong><br />
fundamentally challenge national monopolies.<br />
The <strong>Austria</strong>n Gaming Act, as amended, excludes<br />
gaming machines with maximum bets of 50<br />
cents and winnings of up <strong>to</strong> 20 euro. It remains<br />
at <strong>the</strong> discretion of <strong>the</strong> individual federal states<br />
whe<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong>y allow such gaming machines or<br />
not. Lower <strong>Austria</strong>, Styria, Carinthia and Vienna<br />
permit such gaming machines, <strong>the</strong> remaining<br />
federal states do not.<br />
CASAG CAI Group<br />
2007 238 1,000 1,238<br />
2008 236 1,000 1,236<br />
CAI = Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International = 63 casinos in 18 countries on 5 continents or on 11 cruise liners<br />
CASAG = Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> AG = 12 casinos in <strong>Austria</strong><br />
ÖLG = Österreichische Lotterien GmbH = <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries<br />
* Annual average full-time equivalents<br />
** incl. CAGAST, CAST, CCB and CALL
eport ’08 | Board of Direc<strong>to</strong>rs Board of Direc<strong>to</strong>rs | report ’08<br />
Board of Direc<strong>to</strong>rs<br />
Karl S<strong>to</strong>ss, Direc<strong>to</strong>r General<br />
born 26 November 1956 in Dornbirn<br />
Karl S<strong>to</strong>ss studied Business Administration at <strong>the</strong><br />
University of Innsbruck, where he also worked as<br />
a lecturer at <strong>the</strong> Institute of Industry and Trade<br />
while completing his PhD. In 1984, he joined<br />
Vorarlberger Landesversicherung, before moving<br />
<strong>to</strong> MZSG Management Zentrum St. Gallen in Switzerland<br />
two years later as Consultant and Partner.<br />
In 1996, he relocated <strong>to</strong> Vienna, working as a Consultant<br />
for Österreichische Postsparkasse for one<br />
year before assuming <strong>the</strong> role of Deputy Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />
General. He was appointed a Direc<strong>to</strong>r of Raiffeisen<br />
Zentralbank Österreich AG in 2001, joined <strong>the</strong><br />
Paul Herzfeld, Deputy Direc<strong>to</strong>r General<br />
born 17 August 1955 in Vienna<br />
Paul Herzfeld joined Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> while studying<br />
for his Masters Degree in Commercial Studies<br />
at Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration<br />
from 1973 <strong>to</strong> 1979. In <strong>the</strong> years that<br />
followed, he held a variety of positions ranging from<br />
Door Inspec<strong>to</strong>r and Front Desk Cashier <strong>to</strong> Chip Cashier<br />
at Casinos Wien, Baden, Bad Gastein and finally<br />
Kitzbühel, where he was appointed Head of Administration<br />
in 1989. In 1990, he returned <strong>to</strong> Vienna<br />
<strong>to</strong> head up <strong>the</strong> new Organization/Information/IT<br />
department established <strong>to</strong> develop and implement<br />
a company-wide reporting and information system.<br />
Three years later, he was appointed Secretary General<br />
Board of Generali Holding Vienna AG as a Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />
on 1 Oc<strong>to</strong>ber 2004 and <strong>to</strong>ok over <strong>the</strong> role of Chairman<br />
of <strong>the</strong> Board at <strong>the</strong> start of 2005. On <strong>the</strong><br />
recommendation of his predecessor, Leo Wallner,<br />
Karl S<strong>to</strong>ss was appointed <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> Board of Casinos<br />
<strong>Austria</strong> AG with effect from 1 January 2007, where<br />
he succeeded Leo Wallner as Direc<strong>to</strong>r General in<br />
May of <strong>the</strong> same year. In his free time, <strong>the</strong> fa<strong>the</strong>r<br />
of three is a keen mountaineer who has completed<br />
several climbing <strong>to</strong>urs in <strong>the</strong> Himalayas with Peter<br />
Habeler, <strong>the</strong> <strong>Austria</strong>n extreme mountaineer famed<br />
for his ascent of Mount Everest.<br />
and Authorized Signa<strong>to</strong>ry of Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> AG, a<br />
role which saw him responsible for coordination of<br />
<strong>the</strong> various activities of <strong>the</strong> Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Group<br />
on behalf of <strong>the</strong> Board and for management of <strong>the</strong><br />
Group’s European business activities. In 1997, he<br />
was appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and<br />
Direc<strong>to</strong>r of Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International Holding<br />
GmbH, where he has since played a defining role<br />
in <strong>the</strong> Group’s successful international expansion.<br />
Paul Herzfeld has been a Direc<strong>to</strong>r of Casinos <strong>Austria</strong><br />
AG since 2001 and is also a Member of <strong>the</strong> Board<br />
of <strong>the</strong> European Casino Association. His hobbies include<br />
travel and golf.<br />
Dietmar Hoscher, Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />
born 5 June 1962 in Vienna<br />
After graduating with a Masters Degree in Economics<br />
from <strong>the</strong> University of Vienna, Dietmar Hoscher<br />
managed a research project in<strong>to</strong> progressive consumption<br />
tax at <strong>the</strong> Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for<br />
Economic Policy Analysis before joining <strong>the</strong> Österreichische<br />
Nationalbank (<strong>Austria</strong>n Central Bank) as<br />
an Economic Advisor in 1987. Two years later, he was<br />
appointed Economic Policy Advisor <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Austria</strong>n<br />
Parliament, serving in this capacity from 1995 under<br />
Ministers of Finance Staribacher, Klima and Edlinger.<br />
In 1998, he joined Casinos <strong>Austria</strong>, initially as Head<br />
of Division and Executive Manager. On 4 April 2000,<br />
he was appointed Direc<strong>to</strong>r of Österreichische Sport-<br />
Josef Leutgeb, Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />
born 27 March 1961 in Eggenburg<br />
After completing his Masters Degree in Business<br />
Administration at Vienna University of Economics<br />
and Business Administration in 1987, Josef<br />
Leutgeb began his professional career as an Audi<strong>to</strong>r<br />
and Consultant with <strong>the</strong> international auditing<br />
firm BDO Auxilia in Vienna. In this capacity, he<br />
worked with several leading <strong>Austria</strong>n companies,<br />
including Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> AG. Impressed by his<br />
expertise, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Direc<strong>to</strong>r General Leo<br />
Wallner recruited Josef Leutgeb in 1993 <strong>to</strong> set up<br />
a new company-wide Controlling division. In 1997,<br />
he was appointed <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> Board of Casinos <strong>Austria</strong><br />
International Holding GmbH as Chief Financial Officer<br />
(CFO) and also <strong>to</strong>ok up <strong>the</strong> role of Direc<strong>to</strong>r of<br />
wetten GmbH (tipp3), where he assumed <strong>the</strong> position<br />
of Chairman of <strong>the</strong> Board in June 2008. On<br />
1 January 2007, he was appointed Direc<strong>to</strong>r of<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> AG. He is Vice President of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Austria</strong>n<br />
Bookmakers’ Association and <strong>the</strong> Vienna Business<br />
Circle, a former Member of Parliament and as<br />
Honorary President and Chairman of <strong>the</strong> Board of<br />
Trustees of SK Rapid Wien, naturally also a big fan<br />
of <strong>the</strong> legendary Vienna-based football club. Dietmar<br />
Hoscher is an accomplished author and independent<br />
music journalist who writes for various <strong>Austria</strong>n and<br />
German journals and is a supporter of music festivals<br />
like <strong>the</strong> Vienna Blues Spring.<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International Ltd. in Australia. On<br />
1 January 2005, he was also appointed Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />
of Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> AG by <strong>the</strong> Supervisory Board.<br />
Responsible for managing <strong>the</strong> Group’s financial affairs,<br />
he has played a leading role in driving a number<br />
of key processes, including <strong>the</strong> turnaround of<br />
its business in Australia and <strong>the</strong> restructuring of<br />
several o<strong>the</strong>r international holdings. A keen traveler,<br />
he does not mind <strong>the</strong> extensive travel that comes<br />
with his role, and also likes traveling with his family<br />
in his free time. Josef Leutgeb is also an enthusiastic<br />
sportsman, who enjoys a number of different<br />
sports – though always in moderation as he is<br />
quick <strong>to</strong> point out.<br />
| 12 | | 13 |
eport ’08 | Casinos in <strong>Austria</strong><br />
Beat’em all<br />
2008 was a challenging year for <strong>the</strong> 12 <strong>Austria</strong>n casinos. But it also offered <strong>the</strong>m a chance<br />
<strong>to</strong> demonstrate <strong>the</strong>ir strengths over o<strong>the</strong>r gaming opera<strong>to</strong>rs. An opportunity that Casinos<br />
<strong>Austria</strong> put <strong>to</strong> impressive use.<br />
The number surprised even <strong>the</strong> optimists among<br />
us. In November 2008, 1,503 contestants<br />
grabbed <strong>the</strong> chance <strong>to</strong> take part in “Beat’em all” –<br />
Europe’s largest live Poker <strong>to</strong>urnament. This major<br />
event began simultaneously in ten casinos across<br />
<strong>Austria</strong>, from Bregenz in <strong>the</strong> west <strong>to</strong> Baden in <strong>the</strong><br />
east, with <strong>the</strong> electrifying final held almost exactly in<br />
<strong>the</strong> middle of <strong>the</strong> country in Casino Linz.<br />
Of course, it was not just <strong>the</strong> money – a <strong>to</strong>tal prize<br />
pool of 142,785 euro was at stake – that attracted<br />
such a large number of Poker fans. They also<br />
came <strong>to</strong> experience <strong>the</strong> thrilling atmosphere of a<br />
live <strong>to</strong>urnament in a casino and with <strong>the</strong> knowledge<br />
that if <strong>the</strong>y won, <strong>the</strong>y would achieve instant fame in<br />
<strong>the</strong> Poker world as <strong>the</strong> – direct or indirect – winner<br />
among 1,503 contestants.<br />
The winning combination of that very special Casinos<br />
<strong>Austria</strong>’s flair and <strong>the</strong> possibility <strong>to</strong> buy-in at<br />
casinos all across <strong>the</strong> country, once again proved<br />
a major trump card. But it didn’t s<strong>to</strong>p <strong>the</strong>re: Poker<br />
enthusiasts also had <strong>the</strong> chance <strong>to</strong> qualify through<br />
a series of satellite <strong>to</strong>urnaments on win2day.at,<br />
our very own online gaming platform. It goes without<br />
saying that we will be repeating <strong>the</strong> <strong>to</strong>urnament<br />
in 2009.<br />
“Beat’em all” was not just <strong>the</strong> name of this remarkable<br />
live Poker <strong>to</strong>urnament, it also proved <strong>to</strong> be <strong>the</strong><br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> mot<strong>to</strong> in <strong>the</strong> battle for supremacy<br />
in <strong>the</strong> gaming industry. Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> might be<br />
<strong>the</strong> only <strong>Austria</strong>n company with a clear mandate<br />
and license from <strong>the</strong> Federal Ministry of Finance <strong>to</strong><br />
operate casino games in <strong>Austria</strong>, but competition<br />
in <strong>the</strong> casino sec<strong>to</strong>r remains fierce none<strong>the</strong>less.<br />
Some 50 casinos just across <strong>the</strong> country’s borders<br />
have been increasingly courting <strong>Austria</strong>n cus<strong>to</strong>mers<br />
of late, and <strong>the</strong>re is also a great deal of activity<br />
in <strong>the</strong> domestic market. Add <strong>to</strong> this a major eco- �<br />
Casinos in <strong>Austria</strong> | report ’08<br />
| 14 | | 15 |
eport ’08 | Casinos in <strong>Austria</strong><br />
GUEST RANKING 2008<br />
Casino National Guests International Guests Total<br />
Wien 205,849 158,314 364,163<br />
Baden 286,854 35,346 322,200<br />
Bregenz 110,495 197,994 308,489<br />
Velden 189,494 62,323 251,817<br />
Innsbruck 135,649 99,162 234,811<br />
Linz 196,135 28,490 224,625<br />
Salzburg 108,826 80,427 189,253<br />
Graz 163,970 19,777 183,547<br />
Seefeld 38,368 100,464 138,832<br />
Kitzbühel 30,699 31,101 61,800<br />
Kleinwalsertal 5,152 54,145 59,297<br />
Bad Gastein 9,435 14,741 24,176<br />
Total 1,480,926 882,084 2,363,010<br />
CASINO GUESTS<br />
2008 Percentage of Total<br />
Total Guests 2,363,010<br />
National Guests 1,480,926 63%<br />
International Guests 882,084 37%<br />
Female Guests 1,012,196 43%<br />
First-time Guests 391,395 17%<br />
GROSS GAMING REVENUES 2004-2008<br />
(in millions EUR, in % compared <strong>to</strong> previous year)<br />
2004 205.0 -5.9%<br />
2005 201.0 -2.0%<br />
2006 181.7 -9.6%<br />
2007 193.5 +6.5%<br />
2008 196.9 +1.75%<br />
nomic crisis looming on <strong>the</strong> horizon, and it quickly<br />
becomes clear why companies really have <strong>to</strong> play<br />
on <strong>the</strong>ir strengths <strong>to</strong> stay in <strong>the</strong> running.<br />
To do so, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> hosts far more than just<br />
superb <strong>to</strong>urnaments like “Beat’em all” or <strong>the</strong> traditional<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Poker Tour: we also try <strong>to</strong><br />
provide our guests with a unique range of entertainment<br />
options not available anywhere else. These include<br />
specials like our popular Ladies Nights, our<br />
extensive choice of dining opportunities or our unrivalled<br />
event facilities for unforgettable functions,<br />
parties and congresses. Not forgetting, of course,<br />
<strong>the</strong> superb gaming on offer: as of 31 December<br />
2008, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong>’s 12 domestic casinos were<br />
home <strong>to</strong> more than 236 gaming tables – with a<br />
choice of games ranging from French and American<br />
Roulette, Blackjack and Poker <strong>to</strong> Pun<strong>to</strong> Banco<br />
– and all managed by our excellent team of company-trained,<br />
international standard croupiers.<br />
With so much entertainment on offer, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong><br />
once again confirmed its position as clear market<br />
leader, welcoming 2.36 million guests in <strong>the</strong> reporting<br />
year. Although this figure was down three<br />
percent year-on-year, it still offers a clear indication<br />
of who holds <strong>the</strong> winning hand in <strong>Austria</strong>.<br />
Maintaining this situation is not only in our own interests,<br />
but also in <strong>the</strong> interests of our individual<br />
host regions. Over <strong>the</strong> last 40 years, our casinos<br />
have firmly established <strong>the</strong>mselves as major <strong>to</strong>urist<br />
attractions and bring significant added value<br />
<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir host states. This comes in many shapes<br />
and forms: from redevelopment contracts (such<br />
At <strong>the</strong> turn of <strong>the</strong> year, Casino Kleinwalsertal was given a whole new look<br />
as those recently awarded in Vienna, Salzburg or<br />
Kleinwalsertal) and <strong>the</strong> direct benefit for <strong>the</strong> <strong>to</strong>urism<br />
and leisure industries (who view a casino as<br />
a valuable asset) <strong>to</strong> supply agreements with local<br />
food producers (for whom our casino restaurants<br />
and F&B services are important and reliable partners<br />
and cus<strong>to</strong>mers). In cooperation with <strong>the</strong> Österreichischen<br />
Hoteliervereinigung (<strong>Austria</strong>n Hoteliers<br />
Association) and <strong>the</strong> key <strong>Austria</strong>n <strong>to</strong>urism journal<br />
Tourist <strong>Austria</strong> International (T.A.I.), Casinos <strong>Austria</strong><br />
also recently launched a new “Konjunkturmo<strong>to</strong>r<br />
Tourismus” (Tourism as Economic Driver) initiative.<br />
Networked services, i.e. linking gaming operations<br />
directly <strong>to</strong> a central server, are not just a key<br />
element in Casinos <strong>Austria</strong>'s security policy, <strong>the</strong>y<br />
also open up extended gaming possibilities, such<br />
as <strong>the</strong> progressive Mega <strong>Austria</strong> Jackpot, which<br />
provides added excitement <strong>to</strong> slot machine gaming.<br />
One lucky winner hit this jackpot in Casino<br />
Wien at <strong>the</strong> start of 2009, taking home a prize of<br />
1.02 million euro!<br />
Each in <strong>the</strong>ir own special way, <strong>the</strong> 12 <strong>Austria</strong>n casinos<br />
are extraordinary places. Many of <strong>the</strong>m are<br />
located in luxurious palace buildings, and <strong>the</strong>y<br />
boast a broad range of different interior designs.<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> invests a great deal of energy, time<br />
and money <strong>to</strong> maintain this status. Our operations<br />
in Baden, Linz and Innsbruck were <strong>to</strong>tally renovated<br />
and relaunched in 2007, and <strong>the</strong> idyllic Casino<br />
Kleinwalsertal was given a whole new look at <strong>the</strong><br />
end of 2008 and beginning of 2009. Fur<strong>the</strong>r redevelopment<br />
projects are also already in <strong>the</strong> pipeline<br />
for <strong>the</strong> coming year.<br />
�<br />
GAMING MIX IN AUSTRIA<br />
GROSS GAMING REVENUES 2008<br />
MAJOR JACKPOT PAYOUTS 2008<br />
Mega <strong>Austria</strong> Jackpot (in EUR)<br />
Casinos in <strong>Austria</strong> | report ’08<br />
French Roulette 6<br />
American Roulette 71<br />
Blackjack/Blackjack Imperial 57<br />
Glücksrad (Wheel of Fortune) 2<br />
Pun<strong>to</strong> Banco/Baccara 5<br />
Poker 58<br />
Red Dog 1<br />
Seven Eleven 1<br />
Tropical Poker 15<br />
Easy Poker 2<br />
Easy Hold‘em 18<br />
Total Live Gaming Tables 236<br />
Slot Machines 1,846<br />
Gross gaming revenues for <strong>the</strong> 12 <strong>Austria</strong>n casinos (in EUR)<br />
Wien 43,656,209<br />
Bregenz 32,404,212<br />
Innsbruck 25,169,042<br />
Velden 18,190,274<br />
Linz 18,069,878<br />
Baden 17,118,859<br />
Graz 10,952,308<br />
Salzburg 11,483,143<br />
Seefeld 11,428,428<br />
Kitzbühel 5,834,955<br />
Kleinwalsertal 1,965,499<br />
Bad Gastein 596,803<br />
Total 196,869,610<br />
Casino Velden 1,192,255 23.01.2008<br />
Casino Kitzbühel 765,951 21.03.2008<br />
Casino Wien 949,874 15.08.2008<br />
Total 2,908,080<br />
| 16 | | 17 |
eport ’08 | Casinos in <strong>Austria</strong> Casinos in <strong>Austria</strong> | report ’08<br />
GRAND CASINO BADEN<br />
2500 Baden<br />
Kaiser-Franz-Ring 1<br />
Im Kurpark<br />
Tel.: +43 /2252/ 444 96<br />
Fax: +43 /2252/ 444 96-222<br />
E-mail: baden@casinos.at<br />
www.baden.casinos.at<br />
FACTS<br />
IT’S THE WONDERFUL MIX OF<br />
STYLES THAT MAKES GRAND<br />
CASINO BADEN SO UNIQUE.<br />
Guests: 322,200<br />
Employees: 158<br />
Revenues (in EUR): 17,118,859<br />
Edmund Gollubits, Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />
It’s a balmy evening, and <strong>the</strong> scent of flowers<br />
hangs in <strong>the</strong> air. Cocktail in hand, you stand on <strong>the</strong><br />
terrace of Grand Casino Baden contemplating <strong>the</strong><br />
light sparkling in <strong>the</strong> dancing fountain. Then you<br />
step in<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> casino, hear people chatting and<br />
laughing as you quickly become caught up in <strong>the</strong><br />
magic of <strong>the</strong> game. “Rien ne va plus. Would you like<br />
ano<strong>the</strong>r card? Flush wins.” Time <strong>to</strong> take a break,<br />
relax on one of <strong>the</strong> sumptuous modern sofas and<br />
cast your eyes around <strong>the</strong> room. Red lea<strong>the</strong>r, exquisite<br />
rugs, <strong>the</strong> shiny Do&Co Bar – <strong>the</strong> charm of <strong>the</strong><br />
his<strong>to</strong>ric building harmonizes with <strong>the</strong> contemporary<br />
interior, creating a very special and exciting<br />
atmosphere all of its own.<br />
“It’s <strong>the</strong> wonderful mix of styles that makes Grand<br />
Casino Baden so unique,” explains Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />
Edmund Gollubits, reflecting on a very exciting year:<br />
“We were delighted <strong>to</strong> welcome so many international<br />
guests during <strong>the</strong> annual European Poker Championship<br />
in <strong>the</strong> fall and be able <strong>to</strong> impress <strong>the</strong>m with<br />
our thoroughly professional <strong>to</strong>urnament and event<br />
services. A fur<strong>the</strong>r highlight in 2008 was definitely<br />
<strong>the</strong> glamorous Undine Gala, which was attended by<br />
numerous national and international celebrities and<br />
stars of stage and screen.”<br />
Las Vegas might have a lot <strong>to</strong> offer, but <strong>the</strong>re’s one<br />
thing <strong>the</strong> casino capital in <strong>the</strong> desert sure doesn’t<br />
have and that’s snow-capped mountains. Winter<br />
sports paradise Bad Gastein, on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand, is<br />
positively surrounded by <strong>the</strong>m and offers visi<strong>to</strong>rs a<br />
very special place <strong>to</strong> while away <strong>the</strong> hours after a day<br />
on <strong>the</strong> slopes. At an altitude of 1,000 meters above<br />
sea level, Casino Bad Gastein in <strong>the</strong> glamorous<br />
Grand Hotel de l’Europe welcomes guests from literally<br />
all over <strong>the</strong> world. No matter whe<strong>the</strong>r skiers or<br />
hikers, international visi<strong>to</strong>rs never fail <strong>to</strong> succumb <strong>to</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> appeal of <strong>the</strong> mountains and <strong>the</strong> charm of <strong>the</strong><br />
Belle Époque villas in this picturesque spa <strong>to</strong>wn.<br />
“In 2008, we welcomed guests from over 80 different<br />
countries <strong>to</strong> Casino Bad Gastein. Our international<br />
clientele is quite typical for <strong>the</strong> sport crazy Gastein<br />
region,” explains Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r Michael Leczek.<br />
“Offering perfect service is <strong>to</strong>p priority for our small<br />
team. That way we can make sure our guests enjoy<br />
an unforgettable casino experience – a perfect combination<br />
of personal service and <strong>the</strong> unique atmosphere<br />
created by our his<strong>to</strong>ric setting.” A seasonal<br />
operation, Casino Bad Gastein is very much in tune<br />
with holidaying guests, operating from Christmas <strong>to</strong><br />
mid-March and from July <strong>to</strong> mid-September.<br />
OFFERING PERFECT<br />
SERVICE IS TOP PRIORITY<br />
FOR OUR SMALL TEAM.<br />
CASINO BAD GASTEIN<br />
5640 Bad Gastein<br />
Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Str. 14<br />
Grand Hôtel de l’Europe<br />
Tel.: +43 /6434/ 24 65<br />
Fax: +43 /6434/ 24 65-222<br />
E-mail: badgastein@casinos.at<br />
www.badgastein.casinos.at<br />
| 18 | | 19 |<br />
FACTS<br />
Michael Leczek, Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />
Guests: 24,176<br />
Employees: 18<br />
Revenues (in EUR): 596,803
eport ’08 | Casinos in <strong>Austria</strong><br />
BREGENZ HAS NOW GONE<br />
DOWN IN FILM HISTORY AS A<br />
JAMES BOND TOWN.<br />
CASINO BREGENZ<br />
6900 Bregenz<br />
Am Symphonikerplatz 3<br />
Tel.: +43 /5574/ 45 127<br />
Fax: +43 /5574/ 45 127-12222<br />
E-mail: bregenz@casinos.at<br />
www.bregenz.casinos.at<br />
FACTS<br />
Guests: 308,489<br />
Employees: 158<br />
Revenues (in EUR): 32,404,212<br />
Josef Semler, Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />
For many years now, Bregenz and Casinos <strong>Austria</strong><br />
have been inextricably linked by <strong>the</strong> Arts. The<br />
symbiosis of art and gaming is reflected not only<br />
in <strong>the</strong> company’s sponsorship of <strong>the</strong> Bregenz<br />
Festival, but also throughout Casino Bregenz itself.<br />
When you stroll in<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> casino from <strong>the</strong> Festival<br />
House next door with <strong>the</strong> music still ringing<br />
in your ears, you simply can’t help but admire<br />
<strong>the</strong> impressive fountain created by Styrian sculp<strong>to</strong>r<br />
Hans Muhr as you approach <strong>the</strong> stairway <strong>to</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> live gaming area.<br />
“Two exceptional events proved <strong>to</strong> be particular<br />
highlights in 2008. Throughout <strong>the</strong> entire UEFA<br />
EURO 2008 Football Championship, <strong>the</strong> German TV<br />
channel ZDF broadcast its EM’08 Studio program<br />
direct from <strong>the</strong> Bregenz Festival’s floating stage.<br />
Then <strong>the</strong>re were <strong>the</strong> scenes for <strong>the</strong> 2008 James<br />
Bond movie “Quantum of Solace“ that were filmed<br />
just next <strong>to</strong> Casino Bregenz, generating publicity for<br />
Bregenz all over <strong>the</strong> world,” explains Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />
Josef Semler. “Bregenz has now gone down in film<br />
his<strong>to</strong>ry as a James Bond <strong>to</strong>wn. Both <strong>the</strong>se events<br />
and <strong>the</strong> resultant increase in <strong>the</strong> level of awareness<br />
of <strong>the</strong> <strong>to</strong>wn have also had a positive impact on guest<br />
numbers and revenues at Casino Bregenz.”<br />
Casino Graz, located in <strong>the</strong> city’s celebrated<br />
Congress Center, blends in perfectly with <strong>the</strong><br />
Styrian capital’s his<strong>to</strong>ric <strong>to</strong>wnscape. After all,<br />
<strong>the</strong> old city center in Graz is a UNESCO <strong>World</strong><br />
Heritage Site, a status that carries its own obligations.<br />
Any renovations and changes made <strong>to</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> casino and <strong>the</strong> Congress Center itself are<br />
never loud and garish, but always discrete and<br />
fully in keeping with <strong>the</strong> style of <strong>the</strong> building.<br />
The arched stained glass windows designed by<br />
<strong>Austria</strong>n artist Hans Staudacher, for example,<br />
form a delightful contrast <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> building’s late-<br />
Classicist façade.<br />
“2008 again saw Casino Graz as one of <strong>the</strong> leading<br />
locations for social events in <strong>the</strong> Styrian capital.<br />
With our special atmosphere, countless cultural<br />
and entertainment events, our unique Piano<br />
Bar with live music and <strong>to</strong>p quality restaurant,<br />
we’ve been one of <strong>the</strong> most popular venues in<br />
Styria for nearly 25 years,” says Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />
Andreas Sauseng, describing his casino’s special<br />
appeal. “We were particularly pleased with <strong>the</strong><br />
positive feedback on our <strong>to</strong>urnaments, especially<br />
<strong>the</strong> Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Poker Tour and our ever-popular<br />
Preisschnappsen card competition.”<br />
Casinos in <strong>Austria</strong> | report ’08<br />
WE’VE BEEN ONE OF THE<br />
MOST POPULAR VENUES IN STYRIA<br />
FOR NEARLY 25 YEARS.<br />
Andreas Sauseng, Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />
| 20 | | 21 |<br />
CASINO GRAZ<br />
8010 Graz<br />
Landhausgasse 10<br />
Grazer Congress<br />
Tel.: +43 /316/ 83 25 78<br />
Fax: +43 /316/ 83 25 78-222<br />
E-mail: graz@casinos.at<br />
www.graz.casinos.at<br />
FACTS<br />
Guests: 183,547<br />
Employees: 118<br />
Revenues (in EUR): 10,952,308
eport ’08 | Casinos in <strong>Austria</strong><br />
OUR NEW TERRACE IS A REAL GEM,<br />
AND THE CASINEUM PROVIDES THE<br />
IDEAL SETTING FOR THE MANY EVENTS<br />
HELD AT THE CASINO.<br />
CASINO INNSBRUCK<br />
6020 Innsbruck<br />
Salurner Str. 15<br />
Hotel Hil<strong>to</strong>n<br />
Tel.: +43 /512/ 58 70 40-0<br />
Fax: +43 /512/ 58 70 40-222<br />
E-mail: innsbruck@casinos.at<br />
www.innsbruck.casinos.at<br />
FACTS<br />
Guests: 234,811<br />
Employees: 141<br />
Revenues (in EUR): 25,169,042<br />
Kurt Steger, Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />
The “youngest” of <strong>the</strong> 12 <strong>Austria</strong>n casinos offers<br />
far more than just exciting gaming entertainment.<br />
Casino Innsbruck first opened in 1992<br />
and in <strong>the</strong> meantime has become a hot tip on<br />
<strong>the</strong> Tyrolean comedy scene, with a calendar of<br />
cultural events that reads like a “Who’s Who” of<br />
<strong>Austria</strong>n comedians and satirists. The contemporary<br />
interior of <strong>the</strong> casino combines exquisite<br />
green s<strong>to</strong>ne, glass and brass elements with<br />
clever lighting effects, including a fully electronic<br />
LED system both on <strong>the</strong> gaming tables and <strong>the</strong><br />
Roulette wheels <strong>to</strong> effortlessly change <strong>the</strong> mood.<br />
The monumental wall painting by <strong>the</strong> renowned<br />
Tyrolean artist Max Weiler in <strong>the</strong> main gaming<br />
area adds a fur<strong>the</strong>r vibrant splash of color.<br />
“In <strong>the</strong> spring, we successfully completed <strong>the</strong> innovative<br />
redesign of our popular Casineum event<br />
room, giving it a <strong>to</strong>tally new look and equipping<br />
it with <strong>the</strong> very latest in technology. These changes<br />
have gone down very well with our guests, who<br />
have clearly taken <strong>to</strong> our event philosophy,” reports<br />
a delighted Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r Kurt Steger.<br />
“We’re also particularly proud of our new terrace,<br />
which is real gem. And we have modernized our<br />
Jackpot Casino <strong>to</strong>o!”<br />
Casino Kitzbühel is situated in one of <strong>the</strong> most<br />
attractive buildings in <strong>to</strong>wn, <strong>the</strong> Hotel Goldener<br />
Greif, a his<strong>to</strong>ric family-owned building built in<br />
1274. The cosmopolitan Alpine <strong>to</strong>wn hits <strong>the</strong> media<br />
spotlight each year when it hosts <strong>the</strong> Hahnenkamm<br />
Alpine Ski Race – just one of <strong>the</strong> many attractions<br />
that have made Kitzbühel a destination<br />
of choice for celebrities and VIPs from all over <strong>the</strong><br />
world. The <strong>to</strong>wn’s popular casino is <strong>the</strong> perfect<br />
place <strong>to</strong> get away from it all for a few hours and<br />
enjoy a fun evening of entertainment away from<br />
<strong>the</strong> flashlights.<br />
“Both table gaming and slot machine revenues<br />
at Casino Kitzbühel in 2008 were by far <strong>the</strong> highest<br />
ever achieved in <strong>the</strong> casino’s 75-year his<strong>to</strong>ry,”<br />
says Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r Hannes Huber delightedly.<br />
“The enormous efforts we have put in<strong>to</strong> establishing<br />
Casino Kitzbühel as a year-round operation are<br />
proving very successful. Absolute highlights in <strong>the</strong><br />
2008 event calendar were <strong>the</strong> ‘Racers Night’ party<br />
organized for <strong>the</strong> Hahnenkamm Alpine Ski Race<br />
and <strong>the</strong> gala evenings held during <strong>the</strong> Triathlon<br />
<strong>World</strong> Cup and <strong>the</strong> Tour of Germany. Given <strong>the</strong> success<br />
of <strong>the</strong>se and o<strong>the</strong>r events, <strong>the</strong> casino will be a<br />
talking point for many years <strong>to</strong> come.”<br />
Casinos in <strong>Austria</strong> | report ’08<br />
TABLE AND SLOT REVENUES<br />
IN 2008 WERE THE HIGHEST IN<br />
CASINO KITZBÜHEL’S 75-YEAR HISTORY.<br />
CASINO KITZBÜHEL<br />
6370 Kitzbühel<br />
Hinterstadt 24<br />
Tel.: +43 /5356/ 623 00<br />
Fax: +43 /5356/ 654 66<br />
E-mail: kitzbuehel@casinos.at<br />
www.kitzbuehel.casinos.at<br />
Hannes Huter, Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />
| 22 | | 23 |<br />
FACTS<br />
Guests: 61,800<br />
Employees: 50<br />
Revenues (in EUR): 5,834,955
eport ’08 | Casinos in <strong>Austria</strong><br />
AFTER 35 YEARS, THE CASINO<br />
HAS BEEN GIVEN A MUCH-NEEDED<br />
FACELIFT. IT NOW SHINES IN<br />
NEW SPLENDOR.<br />
CASINO KLEINWALSERTAL<br />
A-6991 Riezlern<br />
D-87567 Riezlern<br />
Walserstraße 31<br />
Tel. (<strong>Austria</strong>): +43 /5517/ 50 23-240<br />
Tel. (Germany): +49 /8329/ 50 23<br />
Fax: +43 /5517/ 50 23-16222<br />
E-mail: kleinwalsertal@casinos.at<br />
www.kleinwalsertal.casinos.at<br />
FACTS<br />
Guests: 59,297<br />
Employees: 46<br />
Revenues (in EUR): 1,965,499<br />
Gerhard Steurer, Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />
Casino Kleinwalsertal in Riezlern is definitely<br />
worth a visit. If only for <strong>the</strong> fact that Kleinwalsertal<br />
can only be reached by car via Germany! But<br />
it’s not just <strong>the</strong> route and its setting that makes<br />
Casino Kleinwalsertal so unique. On <strong>the</strong> outside,<br />
a modern glass façade sets it apart from <strong>the</strong> typical<br />
house fronts in this romantic Alpine village.<br />
And on <strong>the</strong> inside, <strong>the</strong> casino boasts a whole new<br />
look following its renovation in 2008. The crackling<br />
open fire in <strong>the</strong> gaming area is <strong>the</strong> sole reminder<br />
of its rustic interior prior <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> redesign:<br />
an extravagant wall of brown lea<strong>the</strong>r now sweeps<br />
from a pure white entrance area through <strong>the</strong><br />
whole casino, where soft lounge chairs invite you<br />
<strong>to</strong> linger and relax.<br />
“2008 was a real year of change for Casino Kleinwalsertal.<br />
The renovation work began in June, and<br />
after 35 years it was high time for a facelift. First on<br />
<strong>the</strong> cards were our multipurpose event facilities. By<br />
December, <strong>the</strong> whole casino was shining in its new<br />
splendor, and we celebrated our reopening with a<br />
fantastic party,” explains Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r Gerhard<br />
Steurer proudly. “With our new look and our great<br />
team, I am very positive about <strong>the</strong> coming year – despite<br />
<strong>the</strong> turbulent times ahead.”<br />
When you enter Casino Linz in <strong>the</strong> four-star Hotel<br />
Schillerpark, you find yourself surrounded by a<br />
wonderful combination of color, light and architecture.<br />
Completely renovated in November 2007, <strong>the</strong><br />
casino is now clearly drawing on <strong>the</strong> full benefits<br />
of its fantastic facilities. The long, curved bar, <strong>the</strong><br />
light pillars that ba<strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong> gaming area in constantly<br />
changing light and <strong>the</strong> mosaic-like window frieze<br />
by <strong>Austria</strong>n artist Hans Staudacher all combine perfectly<br />
<strong>to</strong> create a contemporary, stylish whole. The<br />
200 square meter Casineum event room offers plenty<br />
of space for large events.<br />
“One of our goals for 2008 was <strong>to</strong> introduce our<br />
guests <strong>to</strong> our newly redesigned casino, and we are<br />
immensely proud of <strong>the</strong> extremely positive feedback<br />
we have had from all our guests,” says Casino<br />
Direc<strong>to</strong>r Josef Kneifl. “The great atmosphere perfectly<br />
supports our efforts <strong>to</strong> position Casino Linz<br />
not just as a gaming venue, but also as a place<br />
where people meet up <strong>to</strong> enjoy exciting entertainment,<br />
great events and upmarket cuisine. Among<br />
<strong>the</strong> many events we hosted in 2008, two definite<br />
highlights were <strong>the</strong> final of <strong>the</strong> ‘Beat’em all’ Poker<br />
Tournament – Europe’s largest live Poker competition<br />
– and <strong>the</strong> European Blackjack Championship.”<br />
Casinos in <strong>Austria</strong> | report ’08<br />
CASINO LINZ IS NOT JUST A<br />
GAMING VENUE, IT’S A PLACE<br />
WHERE PEOPLE MEET.<br />
Josef Kneifl, Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />
| 24 | | 25 |<br />
CASINO LINZ<br />
4020 Linz<br />
Rainerstraße 2-4<br />
Hotel Schillerpark<br />
Tel.: +43 /732/ 65 44 87<br />
Fax: +43 /732/ 65 44 87-17222<br />
E-mail: linz@casinos.at<br />
www.linz.casinos.at<br />
FACTS<br />
Guests: 224,625<br />
Employees: 127<br />
Revenues (in EUR): 18,069,878
eport ’08 | Casinos in <strong>Austria</strong><br />
THE TERRACE IS USED AS AN UPSCALE<br />
LOUNGE IN THE SUMMER MONTHS,<br />
CREATING SPACE FOR OUR FIRST-EVER<br />
OUTDOOR BLACKJACK TABLE.<br />
CASINO SALZBURG<br />
5071 Wals-Siezenheim<br />
Schloss Klessheim<br />
Tel.: +43 /662/ 85 44 55-0<br />
Fax: +43 /662/ 85 44 55-222<br />
E-mail: salzburg@casinos.at<br />
www.salzburg.casinos.at<br />
FACTS<br />
Guests: 189,253<br />
Employees: 120<br />
Revenues (in EUR): 11,483,143<br />
Kurt Pipal, Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />
What better place <strong>to</strong> dream of fantastic winnings<br />
than in a beautiful palace! Set in <strong>the</strong> magnificent<br />
Schloss Klessheim, Casino Salzburg boasts a truly<br />
majestic ambience. Grand staircases, sparkling<br />
chandeliers and intricate stucco ceilings – you<br />
don’t have <strong>to</strong> be royalty <strong>to</strong> feel special in such a<br />
wonderful setting. In 2008, Casino Salzburg began<br />
an extensive redesign program <strong>to</strong> maintain its<br />
fitting position on <strong>the</strong> cutting edge of modern casino<br />
gaming.<br />
“We began by redesigning <strong>the</strong> ground floor area,<br />
and from <strong>the</strong> middle of <strong>the</strong> year we had <strong>the</strong> complete<br />
north wing ready for use as a multipurpose<br />
event area for receptions, gaming related activities<br />
like Poker <strong>to</strong>urnaments and all manner of o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
functions and events,” reports Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r Kurt<br />
Pipal. “New furniture and heating were installed on<br />
<strong>the</strong> terrace, enabling us <strong>to</strong> use it as an upscale<br />
lounge in <strong>the</strong> summer months and creating space for<br />
our first-ever outdoor Blackjack table.” In November,<br />
work <strong>the</strong>n began on <strong>the</strong> new, contemporary look for<br />
<strong>the</strong> reception area. The renovations will continue in<strong>to</strong><br />
2009, with <strong>the</strong> extensive new lighting concept implemented<br />
at <strong>the</strong> end of February adding fur<strong>the</strong>r sparkle<br />
<strong>to</strong> this glittering casino.<br />
The casino in Seefeld has become almost an emblem<br />
of <strong>the</strong> Tyrolean Alpine <strong>to</strong>wn, with its <strong>to</strong>werlike<br />
Münzturm building literally dominating <strong>the</strong><br />
skyline. Affectionately described as <strong>the</strong> “<strong>Austria</strong>'s<br />
coziest casino”, Casino Seefeld captivates<br />
all aficionados of traditional rustic style. Regional<br />
baroque and handcrafted rural antiques and<br />
artifacts complement <strong>the</strong> interior wood paneling<br />
<strong>to</strong> complete <strong>the</strong> Alpine look. And as host of <strong>the</strong><br />
annual Baccara <strong>World</strong> Championships, Casino<br />
Seefeld becomes <strong>the</strong> center of attraction for a<br />
large international fan community each year.<br />
“When we ask our guests <strong>to</strong> describe Casino<br />
Seefeld, <strong>the</strong>y repeatedly emphasize our unique<br />
ambience, extensive gaming mix, great choice of<br />
entertainment and excellent cus<strong>to</strong>mer service,”<br />
says Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r Ernst Hubmann, referring<br />
<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> casino’s all-round entertainment concept.<br />
A range of different initiatives in all <strong>the</strong>se areas<br />
also characterized our policy in 2008. “We increased<br />
our popular Poker and <strong>to</strong>urnament activities,<br />
hosted around 2,500 guests at our bigprize<br />
club events and created yet ano<strong>the</strong>r feel<br />
good fac<strong>to</strong>r with our newly designed casino bar,”<br />
explains Hubmann.<br />
Casinos in <strong>Austria</strong> | report ’08<br />
THE NEW DESIGN OF THE CASINO BAR<br />
CREATES YET ANOTHER FEEL GOOD<br />
FACTOR IN AUSTRIA’S COZIEST CASINO.<br />
CASINO SEEFELD<br />
Ernst Hubmann, Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />
6100 Seefeld<br />
Bahnhofstraße 124<br />
Hotel Karwendelhof<br />
Tel.: +43 /5212/ 23 40<br />
Fax: +43 /5212/ 23 40-222<br />
E-mail: seefeld@casinos.at<br />
www.seefeld.casinos.at<br />
| 26 | | 27 |<br />
FACTS<br />
Guests: 138,832<br />
Employees: 103<br />
Revenues (in EUR): 11,428,428
eport ’08 | Casinos in <strong>Austria</strong><br />
A MIX OF SEEING AND BEING SEEN,<br />
HIGH-LEVEL CONVENTIONS, EXQUISITE<br />
CUISINE AND AN IMPRESSIVE<br />
GAMING AREA.<br />
CASINO VELDEN<br />
9220 Velden<br />
Am Corso 17<br />
Tel.: +43 /4274/ 20 64<br />
Fax: +43 /4274/ 20 64-222<br />
E-mail: velden@casinos.at<br />
www.velden.casinos.at<br />
FACTS<br />
Guests: 251,817<br />
Employees: 132<br />
Revenues (in EUR): 18,190,274<br />
Othmar Resch, Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />
Only a privileged few are fortunate enough <strong>to</strong> have a<br />
house on <strong>the</strong> shores of Lake Wör<strong>the</strong>rsee with breathtaking<br />
views over <strong>Austria</strong>’s most beautiful lake. Casino<br />
Velden is one of those lucky few and happily shares its<br />
good fortune with all its guests. True connoisseurs like<br />
<strong>to</strong> arrive in style by boat, docking at <strong>the</strong> casino’s private<br />
landing pier. The most popular spot in <strong>the</strong> casino<br />
is, of course, <strong>the</strong> terrace, where not only do guests<br />
enjoy <strong>the</strong> fantastic view over <strong>the</strong> lake, <strong>the</strong>y also have<br />
<strong>the</strong> chance <strong>to</strong> try <strong>the</strong>ir luck at <strong>the</strong> open-air gaming<br />
tables. The Casineum provides <strong>the</strong> casino with its very<br />
own function center offering a perfect setting for any<br />
event, while <strong>the</strong> glass façade ensures that <strong>the</strong> main<br />
attraction – <strong>the</strong> lake – always remains center stage.<br />
“Casino Velden enjoys a unique location overlooking<br />
<strong>the</strong> Wör<strong>the</strong>rsee bay and exudes a very special flair<br />
with its mix of seeing and being seen, high-level conventions,<br />
exquisite cuisine and impressive gaming<br />
area,” says Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r Othmar Resch, praising<br />
Casino Velden’s many attractions. Just some of <strong>the</strong><br />
events regularly hosted at <strong>the</strong> casino include <strong>the</strong> traditional<br />
Fête Blanche celebrations, when over 10,000<br />
party-goers dressed all in white flock <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>to</strong>wn, or<br />
<strong>the</strong> CEE Forum attended by leading representatives<br />
from <strong>the</strong> worlds of politics and industry.<br />
The oldest building in Vienna’s Kärntner Straße,<br />
Palais Esterházy, is now a mecca for <strong>to</strong>p-class<br />
gaming in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Austria</strong>n capital. With its central<br />
location close <strong>to</strong> both <strong>the</strong> State Opera and<br />
<strong>the</strong> landmark St. Stephen’s Ca<strong>the</strong>dral, Casino<br />
Wien indulges its guests with cutting edge gaming<br />
on three lavish floors – from slot machines<br />
<strong>to</strong> its very own first-class Poker Lounge. It was<br />
<strong>the</strong> increased demand for Poker that prompted<br />
Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r Reinhard Deiring <strong>to</strong> convert<br />
<strong>the</strong> second-floor bistro in<strong>to</strong> a dedicated Poker<br />
Lounge in 2008. With <strong>the</strong> conversion completed<br />
in a record-breaking three weeks, <strong>the</strong> new Poker<br />
Lounge is styled in contemporary gray and purple<br />
flannel, dark wood and lea<strong>the</strong>r, features a<br />
sparkling bar of glass, mirrors and flat screens,<br />
and offers guests a choice of five Poker tables.<br />
This conversion, <strong>to</strong>ge<strong>the</strong>r with <strong>the</strong> restyling of<br />
<strong>the</strong> impressive Fuchs Room and a complete<br />
facelift <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> gaming area in <strong>the</strong> Jackpot Casino<br />
have all added <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> casino’s attraction.<br />
“International gaming and unique service combined<br />
with <strong>the</strong> sheer elegance of a Viennese palace<br />
are <strong>the</strong> best possible ingredients for success,”<br />
says Reinhard Deiring confidently.<br />
Casinos in <strong>Austria</strong> | report ’08<br />
INTERNATIONAL GAMING AND UNIQUE<br />
SERVICE COMBINED WITH THE SHEER<br />
ELEGANCE OF A VIENNESE PALACE.<br />
Reinhard Deiring, Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />
| 28 | | 29 |<br />
CASINO WIEN<br />
1010 Vienna<br />
Kärntner Straße 41<br />
Palais Esterházy<br />
Tel.: +43 /1/ 512 48 36<br />
Fax: +43 /1/ 512 48 36-21222<br />
E-mail: wien@casinos.at<br />
www.wien.casinos.at<br />
FACTS<br />
Guests: 364,163<br />
Employees: 213<br />
Revenues (in EUR): 43,656,209
eport ’08 | Food & Beverage<br />
Panem et circenses<br />
Fine dining is one of <strong>the</strong> many highlights of a great night out at <strong>the</strong> casino. Casinos <strong>Austria</strong>’s restaurants<br />
and bistros offer a broad range of mouthwatering culinary delights in some of <strong>the</strong> most<br />
attractive and elegant settings in <strong>Austria</strong>.<br />
Marcel Vanic stands in his shiny stainless<br />
steel kitchen, watching his team of<br />
chefs with a look of absolute concentration on<br />
his face. Ten servings of olive-crusted sea bass<br />
on a bed of saffron linguine with braised <strong>to</strong>ma<strong>to</strong><br />
and fennel are about <strong>to</strong> be dispatched <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
restaurant, and every last move must be timed<br />
<strong>to</strong> perfection. One last adjustment on <strong>the</strong> plate,<br />
a final sprinkling of fennel fronds. Then a procession<br />
of waiters sweeps through <strong>the</strong> electric<br />
doors, and within seconds <strong>the</strong> plates are gone.<br />
Silently, <strong>the</strong> chefs turn, <strong>the</strong>ir attention already<br />
focused on <strong>the</strong> next order.<br />
A typical snapshot of life behind <strong>the</strong> scenes in<br />
<strong>the</strong> restaurant at Casino Velden. As if its location<br />
on <strong>the</strong> shores of beautiful Lake Wör<strong>the</strong>rsee<br />
in one of Casino <strong>Austria</strong>’s most impressive buildings<br />
were not enough, <strong>the</strong> trend-setting restaurant<br />
has also set itself <strong>the</strong> highest culinary goals. TV<br />
chef Marcel Vanic is <strong>the</strong> casino’s Food & Beverage<br />
(F&B) Manager, directing not only <strong>the</strong> award-winning<br />
restaurant (praised by <strong>the</strong> Gault Millau Guide<br />
for its “distinctive style and elegance”), but also<br />
four bars, two terraces and a bistro. And <strong>the</strong>re’s<br />
more: when <strong>the</strong> Casineum, <strong>the</strong> casino’s multipurpose<br />
conference and event center, hosts a really<br />
large event, Vanic and his team are naturally also<br />
on hand <strong>to</strong> conjure up culinary delights for up <strong>to</strong><br />
1,000 guests. And when <strong>the</strong> reputation of such a<br />
well-established team whets <strong>the</strong> appetite of cus<strong>to</strong>mers<br />
far beyond <strong>the</strong> casino walls, <strong>the</strong> opportunity<br />
cannot be ignored – so <strong>the</strong> F&B department<br />
at Casino Velden now also handles catering in <strong>the</strong><br />
VIP area at Klagenfurt football stadium.<br />
Special events and culinary highlights have always<br />
played a starring role at Casinos <strong>Austria</strong>. It’s<br />
part of our corporate branding strategy <strong>to</strong> market<br />
a visit <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> casino as an all-round experience<br />
and establish our casinos as leading <strong>to</strong>urist attractions<br />
and pillars of society in <strong>the</strong>ir host regions.<br />
The restaurants and bars in most of our casinos<br />
are run by partner companies, while teams<br />
of professional event organizers are on hand <strong>to</strong><br />
provide support at major events, when thousands<br />
of visi<strong>to</strong>rs can represent a huge challenge for <strong>the</strong><br />
local infrastructure.<br />
Casino Innsbruck, for example, works hand-inhand<br />
with <strong>the</strong> Hil<strong>to</strong>n Hotel just next door. In Linz,<br />
<strong>the</strong> Tourist Office provides <strong>the</strong> necessary infrastructure,<br />
while in Graz it’s <strong>the</strong> adjacent Congress<br />
House. The situation in Baden is ra<strong>the</strong>r unique<br />
– <strong>the</strong> casino’s proximity <strong>to</strong> Vienna can mean a<br />
huge difference between weekdays and weekends.<br />
There are often three times as many guests –<br />
we’re referring <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> restaurant here – on a Saturday<br />
as <strong>the</strong>re would be on a typical weekday. Since<br />
Grand Casino Baden is also a regular conference<br />
venue, not <strong>to</strong> mention a highly popular location<br />
for ball nights in <strong>the</strong> carnival season, <strong>the</strong>re is really<br />
only one partner who can handle such strong<br />
fluctuations in demand, confirms F&B Manager<br />
Oliver Kitz: “We’ve been working successfully with<br />
Do&Co for many years.”<br />
In 2004, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> founded a subsidiary<br />
company – Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Gastronomiebetriebs<br />
GmbH (CAGAST) – <strong>to</strong> operate <strong>the</strong> restaurants in<br />
a number of casinos. CAGAST currently runs <strong>the</strong><br />
Lake Wör<strong>the</strong>rsee F&B emporium, <strong>the</strong> bar at Casino<br />
Seefeld, as well as <strong>the</strong> gourmet restaurants at <strong>the</strong><br />
casinos in Kleinwalsertal, Kitzbühel and Bregenz.<br />
Over in Kitzbühel, master chef Walter Hiedl is<br />
renowned for his love of adding a contemporary<br />
twist <strong>to</strong> traditional <strong>Austria</strong>n cuisine. Although <strong>the</strong><br />
tastes of <strong>the</strong> <strong>to</strong>wn’s clientele – a mix of more conservative<br />
local residents and international visi<strong>to</strong>rs �<br />
Food & Beverage | report ’08<br />
| 30 | | 31 |
eport ’08 | Food & Beverage<br />
– can be hard <strong>to</strong> play <strong>to</strong>, this particular culinary<br />
approach has proved extremely popular. <strong>Austria</strong>n<br />
specialties naturally also feature strongly on<br />
<strong>the</strong> menu at <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r casino restaurants, even<br />
if <strong>the</strong>y are complemented by <strong>the</strong> occasional turbot<br />
or Italian-influenced creation, as Oliver Kitz<br />
explains: “The <strong>Austria</strong>n <strong>to</strong>uch is an important part<br />
of our F&B concept. We cater <strong>to</strong> many international<br />
guests, and <strong>the</strong>y would be really disappointed<br />
if all we offered <strong>the</strong>m was standard, international<br />
fare and none of <strong>the</strong> world-famous Viennese<br />
dishes.” This is why CAGAST restaurants – and all<br />
<strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r casino F&B operations – primarily use<br />
locally sourced <strong>Austria</strong>n products. They also work<br />
closely with <strong>the</strong> Bund Österreichischer Gastlichkeit<br />
(“<strong>Austria</strong>n Hospitality Association”), an organization<br />
set up <strong>to</strong> promote traditional cooking skills<br />
and styles in <strong>the</strong> restaurant industry. And when it<br />
comes <strong>to</strong> ingredients that cannot be sourced lo-<br />
cally – like exotic fruits, spices and coffee – <strong>the</strong><br />
casino restaurants are careful <strong>to</strong> choose Fairtrade<br />
products wherever possible.<br />
An important part of our concept is ensuring that<br />
we offer a high standard of cuisine without trying<br />
<strong>to</strong> overshoot <strong>the</strong> mark. In our experience, casino<br />
guests tend <strong>to</strong> be <strong>the</strong> kind of people who enjoy<br />
good food and appreciate quality. But dining is<br />
just one element of <strong>the</strong> casino experience – <strong>the</strong><br />
card tables, <strong>the</strong> Roulette wheel and <strong>the</strong> slots are<br />
all equally part of <strong>the</strong> fun.<br />
That probably explains why our dining packages<br />
are some of our most popular products, offering<br />
guests <strong>the</strong> chance <strong>to</strong> combine an elegant meal with<br />
a few hours excitement at <strong>the</strong> gaming tables at<br />
unbeatable prices. In 2008, over 180,000 guests<br />
purchased packages from this range.<br />
Our Dinner & Casino package, for example, costs<br />
57 euro and includes a four-course meal and welcome<br />
chips <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> value of 25 euro, valid at both <strong>the</strong><br />
tables and <strong>the</strong> slot machines. This package is also a<br />
very popular gift – a four-course meal in a glamorous<br />
casino setting is a wonderful experience in itself<br />
– whe<strong>the</strong>r Lady Luck proves <strong>to</strong> be on your side or not.<br />
If you don’t have <strong>the</strong> time or appetite for four<br />
courses, <strong>the</strong>re are also a range of “lighter” options<br />
<strong>to</strong> choose from – such as <strong>the</strong> Surf & Turf<br />
Package (steak, shrimp and welcome chips <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
value of 25 euro) for just 40 euro or Bistro & Casino<br />
(a choice of dishes from <strong>the</strong> Bistro menu and<br />
welcome chips <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> value of 25 euro) for only 29<br />
euro. The Dinner & Roulette Package probably has<br />
<strong>the</strong> greatest fun fac<strong>to</strong>r and is particularly recommended<br />
for small groups: after <strong>the</strong>y have finished<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir four-course dinner, a portable Roulette table<br />
is wheeled in, and <strong>the</strong> guests are given <strong>the</strong> chance<br />
<strong>to</strong> play for <strong>the</strong> price of <strong>the</strong>ir meal. The number <strong>the</strong><br />
ball lands on is <strong>the</strong> price <strong>the</strong> guest pays, in o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
words between 0 und 36 euro. Winning in this<br />
kind of fun atmosphere tends <strong>to</strong> bring on a fit of<br />
generosity: whenever someone lands on zero, <strong>the</strong>y<br />
almost always choose <strong>to</strong> celebrate by ordering a<br />
round of drinks.<br />
DINNER & CASINO NIGHT<br />
If you want <strong>to</strong> spoil someone special with an exciting<br />
night out at <strong>the</strong> casino, an excellent meal and an exquisite<br />
overnight stay, our Dinner & Casino Night package<br />
is <strong>the</strong> perfect gift:<br />
� The exclusive four-course Dinner & Casino menu<br />
� Welcome chips <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> value of 25 euro<br />
� A glass of sparkling wine at <strong>the</strong> casino bar<br />
� One night’s hotel accommodation with buffet<br />
breakfast for only 129 euro per person sharing a<br />
double room (supplement for single occupancy<br />
on request)<br />
With <strong>Austria</strong>n cuisine, <strong>Austria</strong>n hospitality and<br />
<strong>Austria</strong>n wines all so closely linked <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> fine<br />
dining on offer in our casinos, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong><br />
has a long his<strong>to</strong>ry of promoting <strong>the</strong>se important<br />
aspects of our national culture. We sponsor <strong>the</strong><br />
annual Goldene Traube (“Golden Grape”) award,<br />
which recognizes particularly exceptional wines<br />
from <strong>the</strong> Burgenland region. The Österreichische<br />
Wein Salon (“<strong>Austria</strong>n Wine Salon”) also <strong>to</strong>urs all<br />
12 <strong>Austria</strong>n casinos each year, with a series of<br />
events offering guests <strong>the</strong> opportunity <strong>to</strong> taste<br />
and compare <strong>the</strong> several dozen prize-winning<br />
wines selected by <strong>the</strong> Salon’s independent jury<br />
of experts from literally thousands of entries<br />
from all wine-growing areas in <strong>Austria</strong>.<br />
The most prestigious of <strong>the</strong> Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> gourmet<br />
awards is undoubtedly <strong>the</strong> Goldene Roulette<br />
Kugel (“Golden Roulette Ball”). This quite simply<br />
recognizes <strong>the</strong> best of <strong>the</strong> best and is presented<br />
each year in cooperation with <strong>the</strong> leading restaurant<br />
guide Gault Millau. Former prize-winners include<br />
many of <strong>Austria</strong>’s most famous restaurants,<br />
including Steirereck and Korso in Vienna, Obauer<br />
in Werfen and <strong>the</strong> Arlberg Hospiz in St. Chris<strong>to</strong>ph,<br />
with <strong>the</strong> 2008 award going <strong>to</strong> Lisl Wagner-Bacher<br />
of Landhaus Bacher in Mautern.<br />
�<br />
DINNER & CASINO<br />
For only 57 euro, why not enjoy our:<br />
� Exclusive four-course Dinner & Casino menu<br />
� Welcome chips <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> value of 25 euro<br />
� A glass of sparkling wine<br />
Food & Beverage | report ’08<br />
� 4 Paroli chips (place your Paroli chips on <strong>the</strong> right<br />
number in three successive spins of <strong>the</strong> Roulette<br />
wheel <strong>to</strong> win 7,777 euro in gold)<br />
Not available on 24 and 31 December.<br />
| 32 | | 33 |
eport ’08 | Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International<br />
A Global Player<br />
The Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Group is renowned throughout <strong>the</strong> world for its diverse<br />
range of <strong>to</strong>p-class casinos. Its international subsidiary, Casinos<br />
<strong>Austria</strong> International, was founded in 1977 and is now a leading player in <strong>the</strong><br />
global casino industry. With its unique portfolio of casino consulting, development,<br />
management and investment services, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International<br />
has successfully realized more casino projects in more jurisdictions than<br />
any o<strong>the</strong>r casino opera<strong>to</strong>r worldwide. Service, quality, integrity, responsibility<br />
and innovation are <strong>the</strong> driving forces behind <strong>the</strong> company's success and are<br />
reflected in all its business activities.<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International – Facts and Figures 2008<br />
At <strong>the</strong> end of 2008, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International operated a <strong>to</strong>tal of 63 casinos<br />
in 18 countries and on board 11 cruise liners, including new casinos in<br />
Chile and Argentina. Toge<strong>the</strong>r, <strong>the</strong>se 63 casinos welcomed 20 million guests<br />
and employed 11,200 people in 2008. They offered gaming entertainment at<br />
a <strong>to</strong>tal of 1,000 gaming tables and 11,600 slot machines, generating aggregate<br />
revenues (win, registered tips, entrance) of 1.1 billion euro. Particularly<br />
strong growth was reported by operations in Argentina, Australia, Belgium,<br />
Egypt and Switzerland.<br />
Organizational Changes and New Horizons<br />
Over <strong>the</strong> past 30+ years, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International has successfully<br />
achieved its goal of becoming a leading player in <strong>the</strong> international casino<br />
industry. But <strong>the</strong>se are dynamic times for <strong>the</strong> international gaming industry.<br />
New products are constantly appearing on <strong>the</strong> market, innovation cycles are<br />
becoming shorter and <strong>the</strong> regula<strong>to</strong>ry environment is increasingly complex.<br />
To address <strong>the</strong>se developments, <strong>the</strong> Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Group underwent a major<br />
restructuring process in 2008 – bringing <strong>the</strong> individual companies in <strong>the</strong><br />
Group closer <strong>to</strong>ge<strong>the</strong>r and creating <strong>the</strong> first gaming group in a position <strong>to</strong><br />
offer its clients a complete range of gaming solutions and products from a<br />
single source.<br />
As part of this restructuring process and <strong>to</strong> support <strong>the</strong> integration of new<br />
gaming products in<strong>to</strong> our portfolio, <strong>the</strong> Board of Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International<br />
was extended with effect from 15 July 2008. CEO Paul Herzfeld and<br />
CFO Josef Leutgeb were joined on <strong>the</strong> Board by Karl S<strong>to</strong>ss as Chairman and<br />
Dietmar Hoscher as Direc<strong>to</strong>r.<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International | report ’08<br />
International Developments 2008<br />
For Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International and for <strong>the</strong> casino industry in general, 2008<br />
was a challenging year, characterized by contradictions and regula<strong>to</strong>ry issues,<br />
in particular <strong>the</strong> introduction of smoking bans and announcement of<br />
future increases in gaming taxes in a number of countries. But for Casinos<br />
<strong>Austria</strong> International, it was also a year of new beginnings.<br />
We added a fur<strong>the</strong>r country <strong>to</strong> our casino map in July with <strong>the</strong> opening of Gran<br />
Casino Los Angeles in Chile and consolidated our entry in<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> Chilean market<br />
at <strong>the</strong> end of August with <strong>the</strong> award of <strong>the</strong> concession for a second casino, this<br />
time for <strong>the</strong> city of Ovalle in <strong>the</strong> Coquimbo region. Our local subsidiary in Argentina,<br />
Entretenimien<strong>to</strong>s y Juegos de Azar (ENJASA), <strong>the</strong> only company licensed <strong>to</strong><br />
operate games of chance (casinos, lotteries and slot machines) in <strong>the</strong> nor<strong>the</strong>rn<br />
province of Salta, continued its development program, launching live gaming at<br />
two of its popular slot venues. The new fully-fledged casinos were renamed<br />
Casino Oran and Casino Tartagal <strong>to</strong> reflect <strong>the</strong>ir new status.<br />
Following <strong>the</strong> successful opening of Queens Casino and Casino Silverstar in<br />
December 2007, our partner in South Africa, JSE-listed gaming and entertainment<br />
company Gold Reef Resorts, marked <strong>the</strong> opening of all facilities<br />
at Casino Silverstar – which boasts <strong>the</strong> largest water feature in <strong>the</strong> Sou<strong>the</strong>rn<br />
Hemisphere - with an extraordinary launch function in April.<br />
In Europe, Grand Casino Beograd in <strong>the</strong> Serbian capital celebrated its completion<br />
with a spectacular Gala Weekend in February, an event that will be talked<br />
about in <strong>the</strong> European casino industry for many years <strong>to</strong> come. Spielbanken Niedersachsen,<br />
our subsidiary in Germany, consolidated its activities in Osnabrück,<br />
merging <strong>the</strong> two existing casinos in <strong>the</strong> city in<strong>to</strong> a new ultra-modern <strong>the</strong>med<br />
venue. The “new” Hollywood Casino Osnabrück opened in April 2008.<br />
Naturally, <strong>the</strong> global economic crisis also had its impact on <strong>the</strong> casino and gaming<br />
industries. This led <strong>to</strong> two of our smaller casinos in <strong>the</strong> Czech Republic<br />
– Casino Ceske Budejovice and Casino 777 Teplice – being closed in Oc<strong>to</strong>ber.<br />
Similarly, <strong>the</strong> casinos on board two luxury cruise yachts, <strong>the</strong> SeaDream I and<br />
SeaDream II, no longer proved economically viable, and we withdrew from <strong>the</strong>se<br />
operations in December. Several of our casinos also felt <strong>the</strong> impact of <strong>the</strong> introduction<br />
of smoking bans or increases in gaming taxes in <strong>the</strong>ir jurisdictions. �<br />
| 34 | | 35 |
eport ’08 | Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International<br />
At <strong>the</strong> end of 2008, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International operated 63 casinos in 18 countries and on board 11 cruise liners<br />
Outlook 2009<br />
All in all, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International can look back on a positive business<br />
year in 2008, with its casinos around <strong>the</strong> world continuing <strong>to</strong> demonstrate<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir strength and class. This was again recognized by <strong>the</strong> industry,<br />
and we were voted “Best European Casino Opera<strong>to</strong>r” for <strong>the</strong><br />
second year in succession at <strong>the</strong> Empire Events Gaming Awards in London<br />
in January 2009.<br />
We remain optimistic for <strong>the</strong> future and see strong potential in our existing<br />
casino operations and new strategic growth opportunities established<br />
through our new product portfolio and our ongoing casino development<br />
projects. We were awarded an operating license for <strong>the</strong> United<br />
Kingdom in Oc<strong>to</strong>ber 2008 and will be opening our new casino in Ovalle,<br />
Chile in early 2011. New casinos are currently under development in<br />
Prague, Czech Republic, and in Hanover, Germany, while construction<br />
work continues on <strong>the</strong> permanent location for Grand Casino Brussels in<br />
<strong>the</strong> city’s former Anspach Center. At <strong>the</strong> end of 2008, we announced our<br />
intention <strong>to</strong> sell our stake in Grand Casino Beograd <strong>to</strong> Club Hotel Loutraki<br />
– where Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International is already a shareholder – and<br />
intensify our business relationship with our Greek partners through <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
possible investment in Grand Casino Brussels.<br />
We are also evaluating fur<strong>the</strong>r projects and investment opportunities in<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r parts of <strong>the</strong> world. We follow global developments closely and are<br />
constantly on <strong>the</strong> lookout for expansion opportunities. Our new product<br />
portfolio is a core element in our expansion strategy, and we intend <strong>to</strong><br />
use our international market know-how <strong>to</strong> develop and market <strong>the</strong> entire<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International | report ’08<br />
range of Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Group products and services – from casinos<br />
and lotteries <strong>to</strong> sports betting, online gaming, video lotteries and slot<br />
parlors – in <strong>the</strong> international marketplace.<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International will naturally also continue <strong>to</strong> draw on its extensive<br />
experience <strong>to</strong> improve <strong>the</strong> product and entertainment opportunities<br />
on offer at its existing operations around <strong>the</strong> globe. Our well-established<br />
knowledge and best practice exchange programs, annual casino conference<br />
and international market research activities all contribute greatly<br />
<strong>to</strong> assisting our casinos and local partners <strong>to</strong> grow successfully in <strong>the</strong>ir<br />
local markets.<br />
�<br />
The Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International Board of Direc<strong>to</strong>rs with <strong>the</strong> “Best European Casino Opera<strong>to</strong>r”<br />
award: (l. <strong>to</strong> r.) Josef Leutgeb, Paul Herzfeld, Karl S<strong>to</strong>ss, Dietmar Hoscher<br />
| 36 | | 37 |
eport ’08 | Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International<br />
Grand Casino Brussels, Belgium www.gcb.be<br />
Set in <strong>the</strong> heart of <strong>the</strong> capital of Europe, Grand Casino Brussels opened in December<br />
2005. With its contemporary amber and red interiors, <strong>the</strong> casino offers an exciting<br />
blend of elegant and relaxed gaming and entertainment. Each of its three floors has<br />
its own very unique ambiance: from <strong>the</strong> ground floor gaming areas with over 20 tables<br />
and 200 slot machines <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> VIP club, newly refurbished and rebranded 360° steak<br />
restaurant and Cot<strong>to</strong>n Club multipurpose function room on <strong>the</strong> upper levels.<br />
Europe<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International | report ’08<br />
| 38 | | 39 |<br />
Belgium<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International opened its casino in <strong>the</strong> Belgian capital in December 2005,<br />
celebrating <strong>the</strong> event with a spectacular Gala Opening in January 2006. Following legislative<br />
changes in 1999 and <strong>the</strong> creation of <strong>the</strong> Belgian Gaming Commission, <strong>the</strong> region of Brussels<br />
had requested <strong>the</strong> right <strong>to</strong> have a casino in its terri<strong>to</strong>ry <strong>to</strong> complement <strong>the</strong> eight existing casinos<br />
in <strong>the</strong> Flanders and Wallonia regions. An international tender was launched, and in June<br />
2004 Brussels City Council voted <strong>to</strong> award <strong>the</strong> concession <strong>to</strong> Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International.<br />
The result was <strong>the</strong> elegant yet contemporary Grand Casino Brussels – <strong>the</strong> ninth and final casino<br />
concession in Belgium. Currently located in <strong>the</strong> beautifully res<strong>to</strong>red Salle de la Madeleine,<br />
construction work was ongoing throughout 2008 at <strong>the</strong> permanent location for Grand Casino<br />
Brussels in <strong>the</strong> city’s former Anspach Center.<br />
Czech Republic<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International has been active in <strong>the</strong> Czech Republic since 1989. Our six casinos<br />
in <strong>the</strong> country – Casino Grand in Brno, Casino Palais Savarin in Prague, Casino Savoy in<br />
Folmava, City Casino in Pilsen, Pupp Casino Club in Karlovy Vary and Casino 777 Brno – are<br />
managed by two subsidiaries: Czech Casinos a.s. and Casinos 777, which will be merged in<br />
2009 <strong>to</strong> streamline operations. Both companies are represented in <strong>the</strong> European Casino Association,<br />
and Czech Casinos has held <strong>the</strong> presidency of <strong>the</strong> Czech Casino Association since<br />
2002. As part of a restructuring process in 2008, we closed two casinos (Casino Ceske Budejovice<br />
and Casino 777) in <strong>the</strong> Czech Republic and began construction work at a new site in<br />
Prague. Our casino in <strong>the</strong> capital will relocate <strong>to</strong> its new, modern venue in <strong>the</strong> course of 2009.<br />
Casino Grand (2) www.czechcasinos.cz<br />
Casino Grand is located in <strong>the</strong> Grand Hotel in Brno, <strong>the</strong> principal city of <strong>the</strong> province of<br />
Moravia, a region famous for its quality white wines. Brno is home <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> largest exhibition<br />
center in Central Europe, attracting thousands of visi<strong>to</strong>rs each year. Casino Grand<br />
is one of <strong>the</strong> leading casinos in Brno, offering a wide range of facilities, including table<br />
gaming, slot machines, TouchBet Roulette, extended opening hours and a foreign currency<br />
exchange service.<br />
Casino Palais Savarin (1) www.czechcasinos.cz<br />
Currently located in Prague’s famous Palais Savarin, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International’s flagship<br />
casino in <strong>the</strong> Czech capital will move <strong>to</strong> a prime new location in a pedestrian zone<br />
nearer <strong>the</strong> city center in mid-2009. The luxurious new Chevalier’s Casino will be situated on<br />
<strong>the</strong> ground floor of a refurbished former bank and will set itself apart from o<strong>the</strong>r casinos<br />
in <strong>the</strong> city’s competitive gaming market with its unique hybrid casino lounge bar concept,<br />
contemporary design and cutting edge gaming mix.<br />
Casino Savoy (3) www.czechcasinos.cz<br />
First opened in 2001, Casino Savoy is located near <strong>the</strong> Czech-German border <strong>to</strong>wn of Folmava<br />
in <strong>the</strong> beautiful Sumava and Böhmerwald national park area and attracts visi<strong>to</strong>rs from as far<br />
afield as Munich and Regensburg. Casino Savoy is one of our largest operations in <strong>the</strong> Czech<br />
Republic, offering a choice of table games, slot machines and TouchBet Roulette, as well as a<br />
hotel and a separate Spielstub'n bar with additional slots and Multi-Roulette terminals.<br />
1<br />
2<br />
3
eport ’08 | Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International<br />
1 2<br />
3<br />
4<br />
Casino 777 Brno (1) www.casino777.cz<br />
Brno is <strong>the</strong> second largest city in <strong>the</strong> Czech Republic. A convenient location close <strong>to</strong><br />
Prague and neighboring <strong>Austria</strong> and Slovakia makes Brno an active commercial center,<br />
with its impressive medieval architecture attracting visi<strong>to</strong>rs all year round. The<br />
main <strong>to</strong>wn square dates back <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> 13th century and is now also home <strong>to</strong> Casino<br />
777 Brno, offering guests relaxed gaming in a warm and friendly ambience, as well<br />
as a bar service and a satellite TV lounge.<br />
City Casino (2) www.czechcasinos.cz<br />
Pilsen is situated on <strong>the</strong> main route between Bavaria and Prague and is an important<br />
business, industrial and cultural center intrinsically linked with <strong>the</strong> acclaimed Pilsen<br />
Urquel beer. City Casino was opened in 1991 and moved <strong>to</strong> a prime location on Pilsen's<br />
main square in 1998. The lively casino has rejuvenated <strong>the</strong> city's casino business with its<br />
contemporary design, delicate pastel shades, spacious table gaming area and excellent<br />
bar and lounge facilities.<br />
Pupp Casino Club (3) www.czechcasinos.cz<br />
Pupp Casino Club is located in <strong>the</strong> Grand Hotel Pupp in Karlovy Vary, a <strong>to</strong>wn dating back<br />
<strong>to</strong> 1358 and one of Europe's best known spas. Karlovy Vary was once a popular destination<br />
for <strong>the</strong> European aris<strong>to</strong>cracy and regularly visited by Czar Peter <strong>the</strong> Great. The cultured<br />
atmosphere of <strong>the</strong> casino, with its broad gaming mix, classic-style interior design<br />
and his<strong>to</strong>ric ambience makes it a popular meeting point for local guests and <strong>the</strong> many<br />
<strong>to</strong>urist visi<strong>to</strong>rs <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>to</strong>wn.<br />
Denmark<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International opened its first casino in Denmark in 1990 and currently operates<br />
three of <strong>the</strong> country’s six casinos: Casino Copenhagen, Casino Munkebjerg Vejle and<br />
Casino Odense. All Danish casinos are represented both on <strong>the</strong> Danish Casino Association –<br />
which is chaired by Casino Copenhagen – as well as on <strong>the</strong> European Casino Association. The<br />
implementation of <strong>the</strong> nationwide smoking ban that came in<strong>to</strong> effect in all public buildings<br />
and private businesses in Denmark in August 2007 continued <strong>to</strong> impact <strong>the</strong> gaming industry<br />
throughout 2008, and most of <strong>the</strong> country’s casinos initiated restructuring measures <strong>to</strong><br />
respond <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> changing trading conditions. Table gaming was less affected by <strong>the</strong> ban, with<br />
Poker products in general and Poker <strong>to</strong>urnaments in particular continuing <strong>to</strong> prove extremely<br />
popular with guests.<br />
Casino Copenhagen (4) www.casinocopenhagen.dk<br />
The only casino in <strong>the</strong> Danish capital is situated in <strong>the</strong> luxurious Radisson SAS Scandinavia<br />
Hotel, which enjoys an enviable location overlooking <strong>the</strong> old city ramparts. Casino<br />
Copenhagen complements its attractive gaming mix of 23 tables and 150 slot machines<br />
with a range of exclusive packages offered in cooperation with <strong>the</strong> hotel's four world-class<br />
restaurants. Opened in 1990, <strong>the</strong> elegant casino has been a venue for several movies,<br />
including Bille August's "Smilla's Sense of Snow".<br />
Casino Munkebjerg Vejle (5) www.casinomunkebjerg.dk<br />
Set in <strong>the</strong> Munkebjerg Forest in Central Jutland, with superb views of <strong>the</strong> stunning Vejle<br />
Fjord, Casino Munkebjerg Vejle shares its facilities with one of Denmark's finest hotels.<br />
As part of <strong>the</strong> Hotel Munkebjerg complex, <strong>the</strong> casino is linked <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> 27-hole Munkebjerg<br />
Golf Club and offers a range of <strong>the</strong>med packages like “Golf and Gourmet”, “Dinner and<br />
Casino” and “Weekend Breaks”, which perfectly complement its state-of-<strong>the</strong>-art gaming<br />
mix and dining facilities.<br />
Casino Odense (6) www.casinoodense.dk<br />
A popular <strong>to</strong>urist destination with a strong cultural heritage, Odense is <strong>the</strong> birthplace of<br />
Hans Christian Andersen. Casino Odense is set in <strong>the</strong> luxurious Radisson SAS H. C. Andersen<br />
Hotel, whose Hans Christian restaurant is praised by gourmets around <strong>the</strong> world for its<br />
fine cuisine. The casino was extensively refurbished in 2008 with <strong>the</strong> support of local architects<br />
and artists and successfully combines traditional and modern interior elements<br />
with clever lighting features.<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International | report ’08<br />
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Germany<br />
The acquisition of Spielbanken Niedersachsen GmbH (SNG) in 2005 provided Casinos<br />
<strong>Austria</strong> International with a major foothold in <strong>the</strong> German casino market. SNG is <strong>the</strong><br />
third largest casino opera<strong>to</strong>r in Germany and <strong>the</strong> only company licensed <strong>to</strong> operate<br />
casinos in <strong>the</strong> state of Lower Saxony. In addition <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> launch of a corporate reorganization<br />
process, two major construction projects dominated events at SNG in 2008. In<br />
Osnabrück, <strong>the</strong> casino at <strong>the</strong> railway station site was extensively redeveloped and <strong>the</strong><br />
city’s two casinos merged in<strong>to</strong> a stunning new Hollywood-<strong>the</strong>med casino that opened in<br />
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April. Construction work also continued throughout <strong>the</strong> year on SNG’s largest project <strong>to</strong><br />
date: <strong>the</strong> development of its new casino in <strong>the</strong> state capital due <strong>to</strong> open in early 2010.<br />
Aquamarin Casino Seevetal (8) www.casino-seevetal.de<br />
Lower Saxony's first <strong>the</strong>med casino makes quite a splash on <strong>the</strong> outskirts of Hamburg,<br />
taking its unique, underwater <strong>the</strong>me <strong>to</strong> new depths. Guests at Aquamarin Casino Seevetal<br />
try <strong>the</strong>ir luck alongside an 8,000 liter aquarium of tropical fish at a choice of over<br />
150 slot machines, at Multi-Roulette or in Germany's first intranet casino, CyberGame.<br />
The casino is located in Hotel and Restaurant Krohwinkel, where a range of culinary<br />
delights awaits.<br />
Casino Bad Zwischenahn (7) www.casino-bad-zwischenahn.de<br />
Luck has been in season in Bad Zwischenahn since 1976, when a beautiful half-timbered<br />
building in <strong>the</strong> lakeside spa <strong>to</strong>wn became home <strong>to</strong> its casino. Casino Bad Zwischenahn<br />
offers an extensive choice of gaming tables and <strong>the</strong> latest slot machines and regularly<br />
hosts <strong>the</strong> German Poker Championship. Extraordinary flair and an array of culinary delights<br />
are also close at hand in <strong>the</strong> hotel's gourmet Fischer- and Jägerstuben or awardwinning<br />
Apicius restaurants.<br />
Hollywood Casino Osnabrück (9) www.spielbank-osnabrueck.de<br />
Marilyn Monroe, Elvis and Charlie Chaplin all found <strong>the</strong>ir way <strong>to</strong> Casino Osnabrück in<br />
April 2008. With its "Hollywood" <strong>the</strong>me, <strong>the</strong> new Casino Osnabrück offers an impressive<br />
selection of gaming machines as well as live gaming at a choice of American Roulette,<br />
Blackjack and Poker tables. Major sporting events are broadcast live on 14 high tech<br />
screens, and <strong>the</strong> casino complements its <strong>to</strong>p-class gaming mix with a wide variety of<br />
events <strong>to</strong> ensure every guest enjoys a winning night out.
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Spielbank Bad Ben<strong>the</strong>im (1) www.spielbank-bad-ben<strong>the</strong>im.de<br />
Nestled at <strong>the</strong> foot of his<strong>to</strong>ric Bad Ben<strong>the</strong>im's imposing medieval castle lies ano<strong>the</strong>r winning<br />
attraction. Opened in 1976, Spielbank Bad Ben<strong>the</strong>im offers exciting gaming entertainment<br />
with over 100 of <strong>the</strong> latest Multi-Roulette terminals and slot machines and is always a popular<br />
destination with visi<strong>to</strong>rs <strong>to</strong> this romantic spa <strong>to</strong>wn near <strong>the</strong> Dutch-German border. The casino’s<br />
gaming operations were updated and extensive renovations <strong>to</strong> its facilities completed in 2008.<br />
Spielbank Bad Harzburg (3) www.spielbank-bad-harzburg.de<br />
With its enviable location in <strong>the</strong> Harz National Park, <strong>the</strong> his<strong>to</strong>ric spa <strong>to</strong>wn of Bad Harzburg is<br />
a popular <strong>to</strong>urist destination. Its stylish, elegant casino is located in <strong>the</strong> spa park and offers<br />
Roulette and Blackjack tables and a selection of <strong>the</strong> latest video and slot machines. Spielbank<br />
Bad Harzburg shares its premises with <strong>the</strong> spa hotel Michels Kurhotel Vier Jahreszeiten,<br />
where guests can enjoy fine dining in <strong>the</strong> gourmet restaurant after a drink at <strong>the</strong> bar.<br />
Spielbank Bad Pyrmont (2) www.spielbank-bad-pyrmont.de<br />
The neo-classic architecture of <strong>the</strong> concert hall sets <strong>the</strong> <strong>to</strong>ne for <strong>the</strong> casino in <strong>the</strong> popular<br />
spa <strong>to</strong>wn of Bad Pyrmont, where traditional and modern elements interplay harmoniously<br />
under one roof. First opened in 1975, Spielbank Bad Pyrmont was completely<br />
renovated in 2004 and now focuses solely on slot machine gaming, offering a choice of<br />
over 100 slot machines and Multi-Roulette terminals, including <strong>the</strong> Niedersachsen Jackpot<br />
that links all casinos in Lower Saxony.<br />
Spielbank Borkum (4) www.spielbank-borkum.de<br />
Everyone is a winner on <strong>the</strong> North Sea island of Borkum. This popular holiday destination offers<br />
something for all its visi<strong>to</strong>rs, and a vacation on Borkum is guaranteed <strong>to</strong> be an unforgettable<br />
experience. But no stay would be truly complete without a visit <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> island's casino.<br />
Spielbank Borkum first opened in 1978 and offers guests gaming fun and excitement at an<br />
extensive selection of <strong>the</strong> latest slot machines and Multi-Roulette terminals.<br />
Spielbank Hannover (6) www.spielbank-hannover.de<br />
Spielbank Hannover, <strong>the</strong> casino in <strong>the</strong> heart of Lower Saxony’s capital, has welcomed over six<br />
million visi<strong>to</strong>rs since it opened in 1975 and offers a choice of Roulette, Blackjack and Poker tables<br />
as well as an impressive selection of slot machines and Multi-Roulette terminals. Throughout<br />
2008, work also continued on <strong>the</strong> development of <strong>the</strong> new casino in Hanover, which will<br />
combine state-of-<strong>the</strong>-art gaming with extensive entertainment, dining and conference facilities.<br />
Spielbank Norderney (5) www.spielbank-norderney.de<br />
Miles of beaches, unspoilt sand dunes and fresh sea air: just some of <strong>the</strong> spectacular outdoor<br />
treats <strong>to</strong> be found on <strong>the</strong> North Sea vacation island of Norderney. But holidaymakers also<br />
find <strong>the</strong>mselves treated <strong>to</strong> some equally delightful indoor fun at <strong>the</strong> island's casino. With a<br />
choice of modern slot machines and Multi-Roulette terminals, Spielbank Norderney offers so<br />
many different ways <strong>to</strong> win, including <strong>the</strong> chance <strong>to</strong> hit <strong>the</strong> regional Niedersachsen Jackpot.<br />
Spielbank Wolfsburg (7) www.spielbank-wolfsburg.de<br />
Wolfsburg is not only home <strong>to</strong> Volkswagen, it is also becoming an increasingly popular <strong>to</strong>urist<br />
destination, and visi<strong>to</strong>rs are spoilt for choice by <strong>the</strong> many attractions it has <strong>to</strong> offer. A visit<br />
<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> casino complements a <strong>to</strong>ur of <strong>the</strong> famous Au<strong>to</strong>stadt car city or a seat in <strong>the</strong> stadium<br />
cheering on local soccer heroes VfL Wolfsburg. Spielbank Wolfsburg offers exciting entertainment<br />
at an extensive selection of <strong>the</strong> latest slot machines and Multi-Roulette terminals.<br />
Greece<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International has been active in <strong>the</strong> Greek gaming market since <strong>the</strong><br />
1980s and currently holds a stake in <strong>the</strong> country’s leading casino, Club Hotel Casino<br />
Loutraki. Located in a stunning resort complex overlooking <strong>the</strong> Corinthian Gulf in <strong>the</strong><br />
coastal spa <strong>to</strong>wn of Loutraki some 70 km south of <strong>the</strong> capital, A<strong>the</strong>ns, Club Hotel Casino<br />
Loutraki is not only <strong>the</strong> <strong>to</strong>p casino in Greece, it is also one of <strong>the</strong> largest, best-known<br />
and most successful casinos in Europe. Procedures for <strong>the</strong> extension of <strong>the</strong> geographical<br />
exclusivity of Greek casinos are expected <strong>to</strong> commence in 2009.<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International | report ’08<br />
Club Hotel Casino Loutraki, Greece www.casinoloutraki.com<br />
Club Hotel Casino Loutraki opened in 1995 and is integrated in a resort complex that includes<br />
a luxurious designer hotel with 255 rooms, 20 suites and a sophisticated, multipurpose<br />
conference center. The resort’s impressive, newly renovated 5,000 square meter<br />
gaming hall offers 80 gaming tables and 1,000 cutting-edge slot machines and welcomed<br />
almost 1.17 million guests in 2008. The casino’s extensive support for culture and <strong>to</strong>urism<br />
confirms its strong reputation as a responsible corporate citizen.<br />
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Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International | report ’08<br />
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Hungary<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International has long played a pioneering role in <strong>the</strong> Hungarian casino<br />
industry and launched our first casino in Budapest in 1981 – <strong>the</strong> first casino <strong>to</strong><br />
open behind <strong>the</strong> Iron Curtain and be run by an international opera<strong>to</strong>r. Over <strong>the</strong> past<br />
25+ years, we have gone on <strong>to</strong> launch a <strong>to</strong>tal of 15 casinos across <strong>the</strong> country and<br />
continue <strong>to</strong> operate three of <strong>the</strong>m <strong>to</strong> this very day: Casino Györ, Casino Kecskemét<br />
and Casino Sopron. All of <strong>the</strong>se casinos are members of <strong>the</strong> Hungarian Casino Association<br />
(HCA), which is also represented on <strong>the</strong> European Casino Association. Competition<br />
in Hungary’s gaming sec<strong>to</strong>r remained strong in 2008, with lottery products<br />
and slot halls competing with casinos for a share of <strong>the</strong> action, Poker continuing<br />
<strong>to</strong> grow in popularity and a continued rise in <strong>the</strong> number of so-called Poker clubs<br />
across <strong>the</strong> country.<br />
Casino Györ (1) www.casinos.hu<br />
Györ is situated in western Hungary near <strong>the</strong> borders with <strong>Austria</strong> and Slovakia,<br />
close <strong>to</strong> both Vienna and Bratislava. A bustling border shopping destination with<br />
a celebrated <strong>to</strong>wn center, Györ is a melting pot of Hungarian, <strong>Austria</strong>n and Slovak<br />
culture and business. The elegant Casino Györ opened in 1993 in a his<strong>to</strong>ric building<br />
in <strong>the</strong> main pedestrian zone and features an extensive selection of table games and<br />
slot machines, many of which were updated in 2008.<br />
Casino Kecskemét (3) www.casinos.hu<br />
Only a short drive from <strong>the</strong> capital, Budapest, in <strong>the</strong> heart of Hungary's puszta plain<br />
region, Kecskemét is famous for its culinary specialties, spas, viniculture, equestrianism<br />
and hunting. Casino Kecskemét is situated in <strong>the</strong> <strong>to</strong>wn’s main hotel, offers<br />
special room rates and dinner for out of <strong>to</strong>wn visi<strong>to</strong>rs and hosts regular party nights.<br />
In keeping with market trends, a new form of Poker – Texas Hold’Em Bonus Poker –<br />
was introduced in Casino Kecskemét in 2008.<br />
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Casino Sopron (2) www.casinos.hu<br />
Casino Sopron is situated prominently in Sopron's cultural center. The beautifully<br />
designed casino prides itself on its high cus<strong>to</strong>mer service standards and offers one<br />
of <strong>the</strong> most competitive slot mixes in <strong>the</strong> region. Roulette is <strong>the</strong> game of choice for<br />
most guests in <strong>the</strong> spacious table gaming area, and state-of-<strong>the</strong>-art betting terminals<br />
are linked directly <strong>to</strong> one of <strong>the</strong> Roulette tables. The casino also offers nightly<br />
buffets, weekly draws and regular <strong>the</strong>med party nights.<br />
Romania<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International has played an active role in <strong>the</strong> competitive Romanian casino<br />
market for over 17 years and was awarded <strong>the</strong> first casino license <strong>to</strong> be issued in <strong>the</strong> country<br />
after <strong>the</strong> fall of <strong>the</strong> Iron Curtain. Our highly popular casino in <strong>the</strong> capital, Bucharest, was<br />
launched <strong>to</strong> great acclaim in 1991 as <strong>the</strong> first casino <strong>to</strong> open in <strong>the</strong> new Romania. Inspired<br />
by its location in <strong>the</strong> heart of <strong>the</strong> city, this stylish, modern casino, with <strong>the</strong> warm and welcoming<br />
appeal of a players’ club, has firmly established its position at <strong>the</strong> center of Bucharest<br />
night life. Casino Bucharest remains <strong>the</strong> destination of choice for those seeking a<br />
great night out and <strong>the</strong> finest gaming experience in Bucharest, and is dedicated <strong>to</strong> offering<br />
<strong>the</strong> ultimate entertainment experience <strong>to</strong> both casual visi<strong>to</strong>rs and gaming enthusiasts alike.<br />
Casino Bucharest (4) www.casinobucharest.ro<br />
Located in <strong>the</strong> heart of <strong>the</strong> city in <strong>the</strong> five-star InterContinental Hotel, Casino Bucharest<br />
is distinguished by its contemporary elegance, sophisticated ambience and excellence<br />
in guest services. Guests enjoy an enticing selection of popular casino games and <strong>the</strong><br />
latest slot machines, all with flexible limits and <strong>the</strong> most generous game rules in <strong>to</strong>wn.<br />
The elegant bar and lounge areas are perfect for relaxing over a drink whilst taking in <strong>the</strong><br />
exhilarating energy of <strong>the</strong> casino.<br />
Grand Casino Beograd, Serbia www.casino-beograd.com<br />
Grand Casino Beograd is a multi-faceted luxury complex offering <strong>the</strong> largest selection of<br />
casino games and entertainment in South Eastern Europe. In addition <strong>to</strong> cutting edge gaming,<br />
<strong>the</strong> venue offers gourmet dining in its <strong>to</strong>p-class Diva, Ginger and Chameleon restaurants,<br />
function facilities, two bars, retail outlets and a separate VIP gaming area. With 25<br />
tables and 230 slot machines, Grand Casino Beograd presents <strong>the</strong> very best in casino<br />
gaming and entertainment in a contemporary, yet glamorous setting.<br />
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Serbia<br />
Grand Casino Beograd was <strong>the</strong> first casino <strong>to</strong> open in Serbia since <strong>the</strong> introduction of a<br />
new Gaming Act in 2004 paved <strong>the</strong> way for <strong>the</strong> opening of up <strong>to</strong> 10 casinos across <strong>the</strong><br />
country. A subsequent Government Resolution allowed for <strong>the</strong> award of one concession<br />
for Belgrade in 2005 and a fur<strong>the</strong>r four licenses outside <strong>the</strong> capital by <strong>the</strong> end of 2008.<br />
In December 2005, <strong>the</strong> Belgrade concession was awarded <strong>to</strong> Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International<br />
and its partners, Club Hotel Loutraki of Greece and <strong>the</strong> State Lottery of Serbia.<br />
Grand Casino Beograd was subsequently completed in record time and began operations<br />
in June 2007. The complex was continuously expanded throughout 2007 and celebrated<br />
its success with a spectacular Gala Weekend in February 2008. Grand Casino Beograd is<br />
<strong>the</strong> official representative of <strong>the</strong> Serbian casino industry in <strong>the</strong> European Casino Association.<br />
In December 2008, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International announced its intention <strong>to</strong> sell its<br />
stake in Grand Casino Beograd <strong>to</strong> Club Hotel Loutraki.<br />
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Switzerland<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International has been active in <strong>the</strong> Swiss casino market for almost a<br />
decade. Our equity participations in Switzerland are managed by our local holding company,<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> (Swiss) AG, which also acts as know-how provider for our Swiss<br />
cooperation partners and <strong>the</strong> Swiss Casino Association. Our first casinos in <strong>the</strong> country<br />
– Grand Casino Bern, Grand Casino Luzern, Grand Casino St. Gallen, Casino St. Moritz,<br />
Casino Schaffhausen and Casino Zürichsee – opened in 2002. In 2007, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong><br />
(Swiss) AG also successfully acquired a stake in Casinò Lugano, bringing its number of<br />
casinos in Switzerland <strong>to</strong> seven, <strong>the</strong> largest portfolio of any opera<strong>to</strong>r in terms of number<br />
of operations. Recent developments in <strong>the</strong> Swiss gaming market included <strong>the</strong> introduction<br />
of smoking bans in some can<strong>to</strong>ns and <strong>the</strong> announcement of planned changes <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
casino licensing and tax system.<br />
Grand Casino Bern (2) www.grandcasino-bern.ch<br />
Embedded in <strong>the</strong> Kursaal Bern complex in <strong>the</strong> heart of <strong>the</strong> Swiss capital, Grand Casino<br />
Bern offers panoramic vistas extending from <strong>the</strong> his<strong>to</strong>ric old <strong>to</strong>wn (a UNESCO <strong>World</strong> Heritage<br />
Site) <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> snow-capped Alps. The casino boasts 15 gaming tables and 266 cashless<br />
slot machines with 66 different games. The complex also features <strong>the</strong> four-star Hotel<br />
Allegro, acclaimed Meridiano and Yù restaurants with 17 and 13 Gault Millau points respectively,<br />
and extensive congress and banqueting facilities.<br />
Grand Casino St. Gallen (1) www.grandcasinostgallen.ch<br />
Located close <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> border with <strong>Austria</strong>, St. Gallen is <strong>the</strong> largest city in eastern Switzerland.<br />
Its elegant casino is ideally situated adjacent <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> city's exhibition grounds and<br />
<strong>the</strong> Radisson SAS Hotel St. Gallen and offers a choice of 15 live gaming tables and over<br />
160 of <strong>the</strong> latest gaming machines, including <strong>the</strong> Swiss Jackpot, Europe’s largest widearea<br />
progressive jackpot. Grand Casino St. Gallen also offers an American-style lounge<br />
bar and extensive parking facilities.<br />
Casinò Lugano (3) www.casinolugano.ch<br />
Set against an Alpine backdrop on <strong>the</strong> shores of Lake Lugano, Casinò Lugano is more<br />
than just a sophisticated gaming venue. Located in a refurbished former <strong>the</strong>ater, its open<br />
architecture has been designed <strong>to</strong> reflect modern gaming culture, yet still fit in perfectly<br />
with its host city. With 30 tables and over 350 gaming machines, Casinò Lugano features<br />
<strong>the</strong> largest gaming mix in Switzerland, a <strong>to</strong>p-class panorama restaurant, five bars and<br />
extensive banqueting facilities.<br />
Casino St. Moritz (6) www.casinostmoritz.ch<br />
Opened in December 2002 on <strong>the</strong> “<strong>to</strong>p of <strong>the</strong> world” in <strong>the</strong> renowned Alpine resort’s<br />
Kempinski Grand Hotel des Bains, Casino St. Moritz combines classic elegance with<br />
warm Italian flair, featuring 6 gaming tables and a selection of 75 slot machines. Guests<br />
can relax over a drink in <strong>the</strong> stylish Ivory Ball Lounge Bar or enjoy one of <strong>the</strong> casino's<br />
many special events or regular promotions. A seasonal operation, Casino St. Moritz is<br />
closed in May and November.<br />
Casino Schaffhausen (4) www.casinoschaffhausen.ch<br />
Located in <strong>the</strong> center of <strong>the</strong> medieval <strong>to</strong>wn of Schaffhausen in <strong>the</strong> north of Switzerland,<br />
Casino Schaffhausen opened in 2002 and blends a unique combination of state-of-<strong>the</strong>-art<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International | report ’08<br />
casino standards with <strong>the</strong> traditions of its his<strong>to</strong>ric setting and landmark building. With its<br />
Las Vegas-style interior design, Casino Schaffhausen features a selection of 8 gaming tables,<br />
over 120 slot machines, as well as fine dining and banqueting facilities for up <strong>to</strong> 180 guests.<br />
Casino Zürichsee (5) www.casinozuerichsee.ch<br />
Casino Zürichsee is located in <strong>the</strong> 4-star Seedamm Plaza Hotel on <strong>the</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>rn shores<br />
of Lake Zurich and has been <strong>the</strong>med <strong>to</strong> depict <strong>the</strong> many famous landmarks in <strong>the</strong> city of<br />
Zurich, including <strong>the</strong> his<strong>to</strong>ric late-baroque Opera House or <strong>the</strong> famous "Bahnhofstrasse".<br />
Casino Zürichsee offers a warm and relaxed atmosphere and features 12 gaming tables<br />
and a choice of 150 state-of-<strong>the</strong>-art slot machines. Casino guests also have access <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
hotel's extensive parking lot.<br />
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Grand Casino Luzern, Switzerland www.grandcasinoluzern.ch<br />
With its magnificent setting on <strong>the</strong> shores of Lake Lucerne, Grand Casino Luzern offers<br />
unparalleled, highest quality entertainment and dining. At <strong>the</strong> heart lie its Grand<br />
Jeu and Jackpot casinos, with 13 gaming tables, 245 slot machines and 16 TouchBet<br />
Roulette machines. Mediterranean cuisine is <strong>the</strong> order of <strong>the</strong> day in <strong>the</strong> acclaimed<br />
Olivo restaurant with 14 Gault Millau points, while <strong>the</strong> extensive variety of events in<br />
<strong>the</strong> Casineum ensure its place as a firm fixture in Lucerne’s nightlife.<br />
Africa – Middle East<br />
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Egypt<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International has a long his<strong>to</strong>ry of success in <strong>the</strong> buoyant and competitive<br />
Egyptian casino gaming market, opening our first casino in <strong>the</strong> country almost<br />
twenty years ago in 1990. Toge<strong>the</strong>r with our local partners, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International<br />
operated two <strong>to</strong>p-class casinos in Egypt in 2008: Casino Semiramis in <strong>the</strong> capital, Cairo,<br />
and Casino Royale in <strong>the</strong> holiday destination of Sharm El Sheikh. Both <strong>the</strong>se casinos are<br />
located in five-star hotels in accordance with <strong>the</strong> country’s strict gaming laws.<br />
Casino Royale (1) www.casinosaustria.com<br />
Casino Royale enjoys a prime site in <strong>the</strong> five-star Maritim Jolie Ville Resort in <strong>the</strong> heart of<br />
Naama Bay, Sharm El Sheikh on <strong>the</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>rnmost tip of <strong>the</strong> Sinai Peninsula. With its beautiful<br />
surroundings and elegant colonnade, <strong>the</strong> casino has become a focal point in <strong>the</strong> city and is<br />
its premier gaming venue. Refurbished in early 2009, <strong>the</strong> interior is classic in design, offering<br />
guests a choice of popular table games and slot machines in a relaxed club-like atmosphere.<br />
Casino Semiramis (2) www.casinosaustria.com<br />
Situated in <strong>the</strong> heart of <strong>the</strong> Egyptian capital in <strong>the</strong> five-star Semiramis Inter-Continental Hotel,<br />
Casino Semiramis enjoys spectacular views of <strong>the</strong> River Nile. The casino has been a leader<br />
in <strong>the</strong> Egyptian casino industry since it opened in 1990 and continued this trend-setting role<br />
in 2008. Known for its hospitality and excellent service, <strong>the</strong> casino features a comprehensive<br />
gaming mix with 13 live gaming tables and a wide selection of <strong>the</strong> latest slot machines.<br />
Palestinian Au<strong>to</strong>nomy<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International and its partners began operations in <strong>the</strong> Palestinian Au<strong>to</strong>nomy<br />
in September 1998. While operational, <strong>the</strong> Oasis Hotel Casino Resort in Jericho was<br />
one of <strong>the</strong> company’s most successful operations worldwide, opening 24 hours a day and<br />
featuring 124 tables and 278 slots. However, in July 2000, shortly after completion of <strong>the</strong><br />
resort’s five-star hotel, increasing political unrest in <strong>the</strong> region and <strong>the</strong> closure of <strong>the</strong> area<br />
around Jericho <strong>to</strong> Israeli citizens and <strong>to</strong>urist visi<strong>to</strong>rs forced <strong>the</strong> casino <strong>to</strong> cease operations.<br />
Oasis Hotel Casino Resort (3) www.casinosaustria.com<br />
Although <strong>the</strong> Oasis Hotel Casino again remained closed throughout 2008, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong><br />
International closely moni<strong>to</strong>rs developments in <strong>the</strong> region, and <strong>the</strong> casino itself is kept<br />
fully equipped, maintained and ready <strong>to</strong> reopen as soon as <strong>the</strong> political situation allows.<br />
The hotel itself has always remained open and recently underwent refurbishment <strong>to</strong> its<br />
pool areas and guest rooms.<br />
South Africa<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International has been active in <strong>the</strong> South African casino market since <strong>the</strong><br />
1990s and holds a 22 percent economic interest in its local partner, Gold Reef Resorts<br />
Limited. Listed on <strong>the</strong> Johannesburg Securities Exchange, Gold Reef Resorts is a gaming<br />
and entertainment company that operates world-class resorts and entertainment complexes<br />
throughout South Africa and currently has interests in seven resorts: Gold Reef City, Garden<br />
Route Casino, Golden Horse Casino, Goldfields Casino, Mykonos Casino, Queens Casino<br />
and Silverstar Casino. Each resort offers a diverse choice of entertainment, <strong>the</strong> highest levels<br />
of cus<strong>to</strong>mer service and world-class facilities: from casino gaming, fine dining and hotels,<br />
<strong>to</strong> cultural and outdoor activities. Gold Reef Resorts is committed <strong>to</strong> offering its shareholders<br />
consistent growth and contributing <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> country as a responsible corporate citizen.<br />
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Gold Reef City Casino, South Africa www.goldreefcity.co.za<br />
Gold Reef City Casino near Johannesburg is a flagship operation in <strong>the</strong> Casinos <strong>Austria</strong><br />
International network. Set in a magnificent complex offering a winning combination of<br />
<strong>the</strong>me park, Apar<strong>the</strong>id museum and casino gaming, Gold Reef City Casino opened in<br />
May 2000 and has a look and feel best described as “Pure Jozi, Pure Gold”. Open 24/7,<br />
<strong>the</strong> casino features 1,600 slot machines, 50 tables, a Salon Privé for high rollers and<br />
“Barneys” – one of <strong>the</strong> largest smoking casinos in Sou<strong>the</strong>rn Africa.<br />
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Garden Route Casino (4, see page 49) www.gardenroutecasino.co.za<br />
Garden Route Casino opened in 2002 in one of <strong>the</strong> most beautiful locations in South<br />
Africa: <strong>the</strong> <strong>to</strong>wn of Mossel Bay on <strong>the</strong> Garden Route overlooks <strong>the</strong> Indian Ocean and<br />
boasts 24 km of unspoilt beaches. The thrilling facilities on offer at <strong>the</strong> casino include<br />
376 slot machines, 16 gaming tables, a Salon Privé, buffet restaurant and sports bar, as<br />
well as <strong>the</strong> award-winning Pinnacle Point golf course, 71 four-star golf lodges, 24 villas<br />
and <strong>the</strong> 43-room Garden Route Hotel and Spa.<br />
Golden Horse Casino (2) www.goldenhorsecasino.co.za<br />
Golden Horse Casino in Kwazulu-Natal is much more than just a casino. Set in <strong>the</strong> Pietermaritzburg<br />
hillside, <strong>the</strong> only casino in Africa linked <strong>to</strong> a racecourse promises a unique gaming<br />
experience. The casino shares its premises with <strong>the</strong> Scottsville Racecourse and boasts a<br />
96-room hotel, restaurants, conference facilities and <strong>the</strong> world’s largest statue of a horse: <strong>the</strong><br />
14-meter Pegasus. Its casino floor offers 450 slot machines, 16 tables and <strong>the</strong> exclusive Rosewood's<br />
Room for high rollers.<br />
Goldfields Casino (1) www.goldfieldscasino.co.za<br />
Goldfields Casino and Entertainment Centre opened in December 2003 and is located in Goldfields<br />
Plaza on Stateway, <strong>the</strong> main street in <strong>the</strong> city of Welkom. The contemporary design of<br />
this premier destination combines an eclectic mix of style elements, with a clever use of colors<br />
and textures creating warm, inviting spaces. The casino boasts 250 slot machines, 9 gaming<br />
tables and a Salon Privé, as well as extensive banqueting, dining and bar facilities.<br />
Mykonos Casino (3) www.casinomykonos.com<br />
Mykonos Casino in Langebaan some 120 km north of Cape Town opened in December 2000<br />
and brings great gaming entertainment <strong>to</strong> a resort already renowned as a water sports mecca.<br />
Set in a Greek-styled self-catering and conference resort, <strong>the</strong> casino boasts an impressive selection<br />
of 278 slot machines and 9 table games. The resort’s extensive facilities cater <strong>to</strong> both<br />
young and old with its games room, choice of restaurants and bars, crèche service and health<br />
and beauty spa.<br />
Queens Casino (4) www.queenscasino.co.za<br />
Queens Casino opened its doors <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> public in December 2007 in Queens<strong>to</strong>wn in<br />
<strong>the</strong> Eastern Cape Province. Designed with a focal railway <strong>the</strong>me, <strong>the</strong> casino features<br />
a beautifully res<strong>to</strong>red steam locomotive once used <strong>to</strong> transport <strong>the</strong> <strong>the</strong>n Princess<br />
Elizabeth during a visit <strong>to</strong> South Africa. In addition <strong>to</strong> a choice of 180 slot machines<br />
and 6 gaming tables, <strong>the</strong> new casino also offers a hotel, buffet restaurant, sports bar,<br />
games facility and crèche.<br />
Silverstar Casino (5) www.silverstarcasino.co.za<br />
Opened in December 2007, Silverstar Casino is Gauteng’s first non-<strong>the</strong>med casino with<br />
its unique, contemporary style and neo-African influences designed <strong>to</strong> reflect <strong>the</strong> natural<br />
aes<strong>the</strong>tics of <strong>the</strong> area. The casino boasts 756 slot machines, 26 gaming tables and a<br />
luxury hotel, whose 38 suites have superb views of <strong>the</strong> Fountain Spectacular, <strong>the</strong> biggest<br />
water feature in <strong>the</strong> Sou<strong>the</strong>rn Hemisphere. It also offers a choice of restaurants, bars and<br />
conference facilities for up <strong>to</strong> 500 delegates.<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International | report ’08<br />
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The Americas<br />
Argentina<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International’s first casino in Argentina opened in 1987 in <strong>the</strong> Andean<br />
winter sports resort of Valle de Las Leñas. In 2000, we entered a cooperation with Entretenimien<strong>to</strong>s<br />
y Juegos de Azar (ENJASA), <strong>the</strong> only company licensed <strong>to</strong> operate casinos,<br />
lotteries and slot parlors in <strong>the</strong> province of Salta, and reinforced this long and<br />
successful partnership with <strong>the</strong> acquisition of a majority shareholding in December<br />
2006. In an eventful year, 2008 saw <strong>the</strong> introduction of table gaming at Casino Oran<br />
and Casino Tartagal in <strong>the</strong> interior of <strong>the</strong> province and <strong>the</strong> launch of <strong>the</strong> new Reno slot<br />
hall in <strong>the</strong> capital, expanding ENJASA’s portfolio <strong>to</strong> 5 casinos and 15 slot halls. Lottery<br />
developments throughout <strong>the</strong> year included <strong>the</strong> introduction of new lottery games and<br />
<strong>the</strong> implementation of 500 online point of sale units.<br />
Boulevard Casino (1) www.enjasa.com<br />
Opened in 2004, Boulevard Casino is located in Salta's popular Alta NOA center, <strong>the</strong> region’s<br />
main retail mall. The lively casino offers visi<strong>to</strong>rs a chance <strong>to</strong> take a break from <strong>the</strong>ir shopping<br />
and try <strong>the</strong>ir luck at its Blackjack and American Roulette tables or extensive selection<br />
of electronic gaming machines. Boulevard Casino was refurbished in 2008, offers a full bar<br />
service and can be accessed ei<strong>the</strong>r directly from Avenida Virrey Toledo or through <strong>the</strong> mall.<br />
Casino Golden Dreams (2) www.enjasa.com<br />
The popular Casino Golden Dreams first opened in January 2002 and is located in <strong>the</strong> down<strong>to</strong>wn<br />
pedestrian zone in <strong>the</strong> provincial capital, Salta City. It offers guests <strong>to</strong>p-class gaming in<br />
an expansive gaming area with a selection of more than 350 state-of-<strong>the</strong>-art electronic gaming<br />
and slot machines and live gaming tables for American Roulette, Blackjack, Pun<strong>to</strong> Banco<br />
and Caribbean Poker. Casino Golden Dreams also has its own exclusive guest parking facility.<br />
Casino Oran (4) www.enjasa.com<br />
Located in San Ramon de la Nueva Oran (known locally simply as "Oran") in <strong>the</strong> interior of <strong>the</strong><br />
province about 270 km from <strong>the</strong> capital, Salta, <strong>the</strong> lively Casino Oran first opened in December<br />
2000 as a slots-only venue. The modern casino expanded its gaming mix in June 2008 <strong>to</strong><br />
offer live gaming from Wednesday <strong>to</strong> Sunday at its American Roulette and Blackjack tables. A<br />
popular destination for locals and visi<strong>to</strong>rs alike, <strong>the</strong> casino also offers a complete bar service.<br />
Casino Salta (5) www.enjasa.com<br />
Opened in August 2005, Casino Salta is located on <strong>the</strong> ground floor of Salta City's Shera<strong>to</strong>n<br />
Salta Hotel only a few blocks from <strong>the</strong> down<strong>to</strong>wn area in an exceptional location that<br />
offers panoramic views of <strong>the</strong> city, <strong>the</strong> Lerma Valley and <strong>the</strong> Andes. The casino offers a<br />
choice of American Roulette, Blackjack, Caribbean Poker and Craps tables, as well as a<br />
large selection of state-of-<strong>the</strong>-art slot machines. It also features a VIP Lounge, bar and<br />
piano area and valet parking.<br />
Casino Tartagal (3) www.enjasa.com<br />
Located in Tartagal in <strong>the</strong> north-west of <strong>the</strong> province of Salta, Casino Tartagal first opened in<br />
December 2002 as a slots-only venue. This lively casino moved <strong>to</strong> a new location on <strong>the</strong> city's<br />
main square in September 2008 and expanded its gaming mix <strong>to</strong> offer American Roulette,<br />
Blackjack and Poker tables from Wednesday <strong>to</strong> Sunday. With its proximity <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> borders with<br />
Bolivia and Paraguay, <strong>the</strong> casino is popular with both local guests and international visi<strong>to</strong>rs.<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International | report ’08<br />
Great Blue Heron Charity Casino, Canada www.greatblueheroncasino.com<br />
Located on reserve land near <strong>the</strong> <strong>to</strong>wn of Port Perry, <strong>the</strong> Great Blue Heron Charity<br />
Casino is one of Ontario’s finest casino properties. Aboriginal <strong>the</strong>mes are depicted<br />
throughout <strong>the</strong> building and on <strong>the</strong> uniforms worn by staff. Open 24/7, <strong>the</strong> casino<br />
boasts an extensive gaming mix with 60 tables and 545 TITO-enabled, latest generation<br />
spinning reel and video slot machines. It also features <strong>the</strong> Waters Edge buffet<br />
restaurant and Lucky S<strong>to</strong>ne and Heron Bar serving snacks and light meals.<br />
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Casino Las Leñas (1) www.casinosaustria.com<br />
Set at an altitude of 2,300 meters above sea level, Casino Las Leñas is <strong>the</strong> highest casino in<br />
<strong>the</strong> world and was <strong>the</strong> first private casino in Argentina. The casino is located in <strong>the</strong> five-star<br />
Hotel Piscis and offers a choice of live gaming tables and slot machines as well as a VIP gaming<br />
room and a lively casino bar. A seasonal operation, <strong>the</strong> casino is only open in <strong>the</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>rn<br />
hemisphere's winter season, welcoming guests each year from mid-June <strong>to</strong> mid-Oc<strong>to</strong>ber.<br />
Canada<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International has been managing <strong>the</strong> Great Blue Heron Charity Casino – a<br />
gaming complex 100 km nor<strong>the</strong>ast of Toron<strong>to</strong>, Ontario – for over a decade. Operated on behalf<br />
of <strong>the</strong> Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation and <strong>the</strong> Ontario Lottery and Gaming<br />
Corporation, <strong>the</strong> venue first opened in 1997 with a simple vision of providing economic de-<br />
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velopment and advancement opportunities for <strong>the</strong> Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation.<br />
The casino has since evolved in<strong>to</strong> a significant economic driver and one of <strong>the</strong> largest<br />
employers in <strong>the</strong> region, reaffirming its ongoing commitment <strong>to</strong> streng<strong>the</strong>ning and enhancing<br />
its image as a model corporate citizen. The Great Blue Heron takes its role as a community<br />
partner very seriously and has been widely praised for <strong>the</strong> active support provided by <strong>the</strong><br />
casino and its charitable foundation <strong>to</strong> many groups and organizations.<br />
Chile<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International was awarded <strong>the</strong> concession <strong>to</strong> develop and operate our firstever<br />
casino in Chile in July 2006. This latest development takes us fur<strong>the</strong>r south on <strong>the</strong> map<br />
than ever before – <strong>to</strong> Los Angeles, <strong>the</strong> capital of Chile’s Bío-Bío Region. Completed in record<br />
time, <strong>the</strong> opening of <strong>the</strong> new Gran Casino Los Angeles was a highlight for Casinos <strong>Austria</strong><br />
International in 2008. Our expansion strategy in Chile was reinforced in August 2008, when<br />
<strong>the</strong> gaming board awarded us <strong>the</strong> concession for a second operation in <strong>the</strong> country – <strong>the</strong> new<br />
casino and <strong>to</strong>urism center in <strong>the</strong> city of Ovalle in <strong>the</strong> Coquimbo Region. Casino Gran Ovalle<br />
will open in 2011 and combine gaming, <strong>to</strong>urism and culture in one luxury complex, with a<br />
modern casino, a 4-star hotel, restaurants, bars, a conference center, museums, an open-air<br />
<strong>the</strong>ater and retail outlets promoting local products and crafts.<br />
Gran Casino Los Angeles (2) www.grancasinolosangeles.cl<br />
Opened in July 2008, CAI’s newest casino in <strong>the</strong> central Chilean city of Los Angeles reinforces<br />
<strong>the</strong> city’s position as <strong>the</strong> gateway <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> south of <strong>the</strong> country. Set in <strong>the</strong> heart<br />
of <strong>the</strong> city, Gran Casino Los Angeles boasts a spacious design with striking woodwork<br />
features, a bar, a restaurant and an unrivalled gaming experience at 12 tables, 200 slot<br />
machines and a 40-seat Bingo room. The complex will also feature a <strong>to</strong>p-class hotel with<br />
90 rooms, spa facilities and a conference center, opening in 2009.<br />
Australia<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International has a long and successful his<strong>to</strong>ry of operations in <strong>the</strong> Australian<br />
market and currently operates two casinos in <strong>the</strong> country: Casino Canberra in <strong>the</strong><br />
nation’s capital and The Reef Hotel Casino in Cairns, North Queensland. Both casinos<br />
are members of <strong>the</strong> Australian Casino Association (ACA) and play an active role within<br />
<strong>the</strong> organization. Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International also holds direct and indirect interests<br />
of approximately 42 percent in <strong>the</strong> Reef Casino Trust, <strong>the</strong> holding company that owns<br />
The Reef Hotel Casino complex in Cairns. The Australian casino industry is competitive,<br />
with a <strong>to</strong>tal of 13 casinos operating across <strong>the</strong> country, one in each state capital, as well<br />
as a number in o<strong>the</strong>r regional locations. Casino gaming is regulated at state level and is<br />
subject <strong>to</strong> stringent standards and gaming rules, as well as high levels of security.<br />
Casino Canberra (3) www.casinocanberra.com.au<br />
Casino Canberra is located on <strong>the</strong> eastern side of Canberra’s CBD in beautiful Glebe Park<br />
adjacent <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> National Convention Centre. The world-class gaming and entertainment<br />
on offer at <strong>the</strong> casino includes an extensive selection of popular casino games, three welcoming<br />
bars and <strong>the</strong> renowned The Grill Brasserie restaurant overlooking <strong>the</strong> park. The<br />
heart and <strong>the</strong> soul of <strong>the</strong> city, Casino Canberra is known for its good corporate citizenship<br />
and support for <strong>the</strong> community.<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International | report ’08<br />
The Reef Hotel Casino, Australia www.reefcasino.com.au<br />
Situated in Cairns, <strong>the</strong> capital of Queensland, The Reef Hotel Casino opened in 1996 and<br />
is one of Australia's finest boutique casinos. The lavishly appointed casino offers an exciting<br />
range of table games and over 500 state-of-<strong>the</strong>-art gaming machines. It also features<br />
VIP facilities for premium players, two main bars and designated outdoor smoking areas.<br />
The complex boasts a five-star hotel with 128 luxury suites, 4 restaurants, a nightclub<br />
and a variety of bars and retail outlets.<br />
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India<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International has been active in <strong>the</strong> Indian casino market since 1999 when<br />
<strong>the</strong> western state of Goa amended its Gambling Act <strong>to</strong> allow <strong>the</strong> provision of table and slot<br />
machine gaming on board offshore vessels in <strong>the</strong> inland waters off <strong>the</strong> state. At <strong>the</strong> time,<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International and its local partners were granted <strong>the</strong> only such license <strong>to</strong><br />
be awarded, securing <strong>the</strong>ir status as <strong>the</strong> first casino opera<strong>to</strong>r on <strong>the</strong> Indian sub-continent.<br />
Due in part <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> pioneering work carried out by Casino Goa, acceptance of casino gaming<br />
as a form of entertainment has grown enormously in India over <strong>the</strong> past few years. Recent<br />
gaming policy changes in Goa have led <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> issue of fur<strong>the</strong>r offshore licenses, and four additional<br />
offshore casinos began operating on <strong>the</strong> Mandovi River in late 2008, with two more<br />
vessels expected <strong>to</strong> join <strong>the</strong> market in 2009.<br />
Casino Goa (1) www.casinogoa.biz<br />
Located on <strong>the</strong> M.V. Caravela, a twin-engine catamaran named after <strong>the</strong> first Portuguese<br />
armada <strong>to</strong> sail <strong>to</strong> Goa in <strong>the</strong> 16th century, Casino Goa opened in February 2001 and was<br />
India’s first live gaming offshore casino. The vessel is specially designed <strong>to</strong> sail <strong>the</strong> inland<br />
waters off Goa and features a wide choice of gaming tables and slot machines in a<br />
unique, club-style atmosphere, complemented by live entertainment on <strong>the</strong> sundeck, in<br />
<strong>the</strong> casino and in <strong>the</strong> lavish restaurant.<br />
Shipboard Operations<br />
With over 25 years of experience in <strong>the</strong> cruising casino sec<strong>to</strong>r, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International’s<br />
turnkey solutions range from designing and equipping cus<strong>to</strong>mized onboard casinos, recruiting<br />
staff and managing <strong>the</strong> casino <strong>to</strong> developing <strong>the</strong> operation <strong>to</strong> ensure maximum returns<br />
for <strong>the</strong> cruise line. We launched our first shipboard casino in 1981 and have since opened<br />
casinos on board some of <strong>the</strong> world’s most prestigious ocean-going vessels. Management<br />
of our cruising casinos in 2008 was shared between two subsidiaries: Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Maritime<br />
Corp. in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Shipboard Casino Services in Piraeus, Greece. Toge<strong>the</strong>r,<br />
<strong>the</strong>y operated casinos on board vessels in <strong>the</strong> following fleets: Discovery Cruise Line,<br />
Indian Ocean Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, SeaDream Yacht Club, Silversea Cruises<br />
and Windstar Cruises. The office in Greece was closed in February 2009, when management<br />
of its vessels was transferred <strong>to</strong> Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Maritime.<br />
Discovery Cruise Line www.discoverycruiseline.com<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Maritime has operated <strong>the</strong> casino on <strong>the</strong> 1,400-passenger Discovery Sun<br />
since 1995. Discovery Sun makes daily trips from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, <strong>to</strong> Freeport,<br />
Grand Bahama, and has been voted “Best Day Cruise” <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> Bahamas by <strong>the</strong> readers of<br />
Porthole Cruise Magazine for eight consecutive years. The casino was remodeled in 2008 <strong>to</strong><br />
incorporate a 10-seat electronic Texas Hold’Em table <strong>to</strong> complement its existing 8 gaming<br />
tables and 117 slot machines.<br />
Indian Ocean Cruises www.indianoceancruises.net<br />
Skillfully refurbished in 2006, <strong>the</strong> four-star, 250-passenger Ocean Odyssey offers <strong>the</strong> distinctive,<br />
intimate atmosphere of a sea-going yacht, backed by <strong>the</strong> excellent service of an experienced<br />
and highly professional crew. Indian Ocean Cruises is <strong>the</strong> first cruise line <strong>to</strong> offer cruises<br />
<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> un<strong>to</strong>uched tropical Lakshadweep Islands in <strong>the</strong> Arabian Sea, India’s smallest Union<br />
Terri<strong>to</strong>ry. Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> closed <strong>the</strong> casino on board <strong>the</strong> Ocean Odyssey at <strong>the</strong> end of 2008.<br />
Regent Seven Seas Cruises www.rssc.com<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International has a long his<strong>to</strong>ry of cooperation with Regent Seven<br />
Seas Cruises and extended its concession agreements with <strong>the</strong> cruise line in 2007.<br />
Cruising Casinos<br />
1 Regent Seven Seas Mariner<br />
In 2008, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International operated casinos on board <strong>the</strong> sister all-suite, allbalcony,<br />
700-guest Seven Seas Voyager and Seven Seas Mariner and all-suite, 90 percent<br />
balcony Seven Seas Naviga<strong>to</strong>r. Regent Seven Seas Cruises offers exclusive, unparalleled,<br />
all-inclusive cruise vacations and consistently ranks as one of <strong>the</strong> world’s most<br />
prestigious cruise lines. The company was voted “Best Large Ship Cruise Line” by<br />
Condé Nast Traveler in 2008.<br />
SeaDream Yacht Club www.seadreamyachtclub.com<br />
The SeaDream Yacht Club’s twin, ultra-luxury mega-yachts, SeaDream I and SeaDream<br />
II, each cater <strong>to</strong> only 116 passengers, offering <strong>the</strong> ultimate in elegant yachting, first-class<br />
service and absolute privacy. The SeaDream Yacht Club has received numerous awards<br />
and accolades and was recognized with a “<strong>World</strong>’s Best” in <strong>the</strong> prestigious Condé Nast<br />
Traveler’s January 2007 Gold List. Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International closed <strong>the</strong> casinos on<br />
board <strong>the</strong> SeaDream I and SeaDream II at <strong>the</strong> end of 2008.<br />
Silversea Cruises www.silversea.com<br />
In 2008, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International operated casinos on three vessels in <strong>the</strong> Silversea<br />
Cruises ultra-luxury, all-inclusive fleet: <strong>the</strong> 382-guest Millennium Class Silver Shadow, <strong>the</strong><br />
382-guest all-ocean-view-suite Millennium Class Silver Whisper and <strong>the</strong> 296-guest capacity<br />
Silver Wind. Silversea Cruises reflects generations of maritime and travel experience and<br />
pledges <strong>to</strong> build and operate <strong>the</strong> highest quality ships in <strong>the</strong> ultra-luxury segment. The company<br />
is consistently lauded by leading consumer and trade publications and was honored<br />
with Travel + Leisure’s “<strong>World</strong>’s Best Award” in 2008 for <strong>the</strong> seventh time.<br />
Windstar Cruises www.windstarcruises.com<br />
The casinos on board <strong>the</strong> three vessels in Seattle-based Windstar Cruises unique fleet of<br />
exclusive five-star sailing yachts all opened in 2007: <strong>the</strong> 148-guest multi-sail-yachts Wind<br />
Star and Wind Spirit and <strong>the</strong> 308-guest Wind Surf. A market leader in luxury small ship<br />
cruising, Windstar Cruises offers cruise vacationers <strong>the</strong> chance <strong>to</strong> see <strong>the</strong> world in contemporary<br />
luxury from <strong>the</strong> romantic, intimate setting of an elegant yet informal yacht.<br />
Windstar Cruises has an impressive list of awards and was listed on Condé Nast Traveler’s<br />
Annual Gold List of “Best Cruise Lines” in 2008.<br />
Wind Surf Silver Shadow<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International | report ’08<br />
| 56 | | 57 |
eport ’08 | <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries<br />
(l. <strong>to</strong>. r. ): Karl S<strong>to</strong>ss (Chairman), Bettina Glatz-Kremsner (Direc<strong>to</strong>r), Friedrich Stickler (Deputy Direc<strong>to</strong>r General)<br />
A Stroke of Luck<br />
Lady Luck was definitely watching over <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries and its cus<strong>to</strong>mers in 2008. Defying<br />
<strong>the</strong> odds in a not particularly favorable economic climate, <strong>the</strong> company succeeded in increasing<br />
its <strong>to</strong>tal sales for <strong>the</strong> year by 15 percent <strong>to</strong> 2.378 billion euro. Luck was also on <strong>the</strong> side<br />
of <strong>the</strong> players, with <strong>to</strong>tal winnings hitting an unprecedented 1.7 billion euro.<br />
There are some sales fac<strong>to</strong>rs you can influence,<br />
such as <strong>the</strong> timing of special promotions or<br />
<strong>the</strong> introduction of bonus or additional cash prizes.<br />
And <strong>the</strong>re are some events that cannot be influenced:<br />
<strong>the</strong>y simply lie in <strong>the</strong> nature of <strong>the</strong> game and are<br />
purely a matter of chance – like rollover jackpots,<br />
where <strong>the</strong> prospect of even higher winnings or dream<br />
of <strong>to</strong>tal financial independence and freedom produce<br />
a significant increase in <strong>the</strong> number of lottery tickets<br />
purchased.<br />
At <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries, <strong>the</strong>re were more such chance<br />
events in 2008 than ever before. Its flagship national<br />
Lot<strong>to</strong> “6 aus 45” (literally “6 from 45”) and<br />
EuroMillions lotteries produced a particularly high<br />
number of single and rollover jackpots, including<br />
<strong>the</strong> first-ever five-times rollover jackpot in <strong>the</strong> 22year<br />
his<strong>to</strong>ry of Lot<strong>to</strong> “6 aus 45”. A six-times rollover<br />
Europot for EuroMillions resulted in <strong>to</strong>tal prize<br />
money of over 100 million euro.<br />
There were also a number of impressive wins in<br />
<strong>the</strong> double-digit millions in <strong>Austria</strong>: one player from<br />
Carinthia won 55.6 million euro, ano<strong>the</strong>r from Vorarlberg<br />
almost 29 million euro and yet ano<strong>the</strong>r from<br />
Lower <strong>Austria</strong> more than 28 million euro. 31 o<strong>the</strong>r<br />
lucky players also successfully matched six numbers<br />
<strong>to</strong> become lottery millionaires.<br />
Lot<strong>to</strong> "6 aus 45" Lottery<br />
The company’s flagship lottery product recorded<br />
555.34 million euro in sales in 2008, a 7.4 percent<br />
rise compared <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> previous year. The increase can<br />
be attributed both <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> large number of jackpots<br />
(three additional jackpots and <strong>the</strong> first-ever five-time<br />
rollover jackpot in <strong>the</strong> lottery’s his<strong>to</strong>ry more than<br />
compensated for three fewer triple rollover jackpots<br />
than in 2007) and <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> change in price of a Lot<strong>to</strong><br />
ticket <strong>to</strong> one euro.<br />
To<strong>to</strong> and Torwette Football Pools<br />
Three special quarter-million rounds <strong>to</strong> mark <strong>the</strong><br />
UEFA EURO 2008 along with a six-times and an eighttimes<br />
Extra To<strong>to</strong> rollover jackpot boosted <strong>the</strong> To<strong>to</strong> football<br />
pool (incl. Extra To<strong>to</strong>) in 2008 and resulted in a<br />
2.8 percent increase in sales year-on-year <strong>to</strong> 11.66<br />
million euro. The Torwette football pool (incl. Extra Torwette)<br />
posted sales of 1.08 million euro.<br />
Bingo<br />
Bingo remained equally attractive <strong>to</strong> its fans in 2008<br />
as it had been in <strong>the</strong> previous year. Sales for <strong>the</strong> year<br />
amounted <strong>to</strong> 11.29 million euro, an increase of 1.02<br />
percent compared <strong>to</strong> 2007.<br />
EuroMillions<br />
Ticket sales for <strong>the</strong> EuroMillions lottery profited greatly<br />
from four major jackpot winners in <strong>Austria</strong> in 2008.<br />
Favorable jackpot constellations – longer runs with<br />
larger Europots than in <strong>the</strong> previous year – also had<br />
a positive effect: EuroMillions sales increased by 17.6<br />
percent <strong>to</strong> 170.88 million euro.<br />
ToiToiToi Numbers Lottery<br />
The ToiToiToi numbers lottery, drawn daily from Monday<br />
<strong>to</strong> Saturday, posted sales of 17.04 million euro<br />
– a slight decrease of 0.6 percent compared <strong>to</strong> 2007.<br />
Zahlenlot<strong>to</strong> 1-90 Numbers Lottery<br />
With three draws each week (on Tuesdays, Thursdays<br />
and Saturdays), sales for <strong>the</strong> Zahlenlot<strong>to</strong> 1-90 numbers<br />
lottery decreased by 3.2 percent in 2008 <strong>to</strong> 4.51<br />
million euro.<br />
Joker<br />
Following on <strong>the</strong> heels of Lot<strong>to</strong> “6 aus 45” and<br />
EuroMillions, sales for <strong>the</strong> Joker <strong>to</strong>te game showed<br />
a very positive trend and were fur<strong>the</strong>r boosted by a<br />
price adjustment introduced in June 2008. These de- �<br />
| 58 | | 59 |
eport ’08 | <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries<br />
velopments resulted in sales of 162.21 million euro<br />
– a rise of 13.9 percent year-on-year.<br />
Rubbellos Scratch-Off Tickets<br />
The new <strong>the</strong>mes for 2008 – “Super Schatztruhe”,<br />
“Golden Goals”, “Gold” and “Poker” – helped boost<br />
sales of <strong>the</strong> Rubbellos instant scratch-off ticket lottery<br />
by 2.6 percent <strong>to</strong> 127.38 million euro.<br />
Brieflos Break-open Tickets<br />
The introduction of <strong>the</strong> new Mega Brieflos series<br />
(larger format, ticket price of two euro and three<br />
main prizes of 250,000 euro each) on 17 November<br />
brought a breath of fresh air and increased interest<br />
in this break-open ticket lottery. Fur<strong>the</strong>rmore, prize<br />
payout levels for <strong>the</strong> original Brieflos product were increased.<br />
These developments resulted in a 7.2 percent<br />
increase in sales <strong>to</strong> 25.85 million euro.<br />
Klassenlotterie <strong>Austria</strong>n Class Lottery<br />
Sales for <strong>the</strong> Österreichische Klassenlotterie (<strong>Austria</strong>n<br />
Class Lottery) reached 36.17 million euro in <strong>the</strong><br />
reporting year, a decrease of 3.8 percent year-on-year.<br />
The online gaming platform win2day.at with its newly<br />
opened Pokerroom and <strong>the</strong> WINWIN video lottery ter-<br />
minals outlets, both operated as joint ventures with<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong>, also made an important contribution<br />
<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> positive results at <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries in 2008.<br />
Sales at win2day.at were up by 17 percent yearon-year,<br />
while WINWIN posted an increase in sales of<br />
36.2 percent for <strong>the</strong> reporting year.<br />
Sports Sponsoring<br />
<strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries is unquestionably one of <strong>the</strong><br />
most important sponsors of sports in <strong>Austria</strong>, and<br />
<strong>the</strong> company places equal emphasis on supporting<br />
<strong>to</strong>p-level professional sports, youth development<br />
and amateur sports.<br />
In addition <strong>to</strong> its specific sponsorship of individual<br />
organizations and events, <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries contributes<br />
three percent of its gross sales each year <strong>to</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> sponsoring of sports, with <strong>the</strong> majority of <strong>the</strong>se<br />
funds going <strong>to</strong> amateur sporting endeavors. In 2008,<br />
this amounted <strong>to</strong> a <strong>to</strong>tal contribution <strong>to</strong> <strong>Austria</strong>n<br />
sports of 62.02 million euro. These funds are managed<br />
and distributed by <strong>the</strong> <strong>Austria</strong>n Federal Sports<br />
Organization. Based on sales figures for 2008, <strong>Austria</strong>n<br />
Lotteries expects its contributions <strong>to</strong> sports for<br />
<strong>the</strong> current year <strong>to</strong> exceed <strong>the</strong> 70 million euro mark<br />
for <strong>the</strong> first time in <strong>the</strong> company’s his<strong>to</strong>ry. �<br />
AUSTRIAN LOTTERIES IN FIGURES<br />
Sales 2,378.04 millions EUR<br />
Total taxes 383.49 millions EUR<br />
(<strong>the</strong>reof) game-related duties 161.27 millions EUR<br />
(<strong>the</strong>reof) concession fee 216.75 millions EUR<br />
Sports sponsoring 62.02 millions EUR<br />
Profit on ordinary activities 39.06 millions EUR<br />
Net income after taxes 33.65 millions EUR<br />
Balance sheet profit 33.66 millions EUR<br />
Employees* 472<br />
Sales network<br />
Lot<strong>to</strong> and football pools<br />
retail partners<br />
3,889<br />
Scratch-off ticket retail partners 6,783<br />
Break-open ticket retail partners 6,790<br />
TOTAL SALES 2008 BY PRODUCT<br />
in EUR Percentage of Total<br />
Lot<strong>to</strong> "6 aus 45" 555,342,870.50 23.35%<br />
To<strong>to</strong> and Torwette *) 12,741,247.40 0.54%<br />
Bingo 11,295,641.30 0.47%<br />
EuroMillions 170,881,731.50 7.19%<br />
ToiToiToi 17,041,865.75 0.72%<br />
Zahlenlot<strong>to</strong> 4,510,330.35 0.19%<br />
Joker 162,212,294.50 6.82%<br />
Rubbellos 127,375,639.80 5.36%<br />
Brieflos 25,848,123.60 1.09%<br />
Klassenlotterie 36,171,782.00 1.52%<br />
win2day.at 945,648,184.36 39.77%<br />
win2day.at - Poker 5,049,682.83 0.21%<br />
WINWIN 303,925,312.08 12.78%<br />
Total 2,378,044,705.97 100.00%<br />
*) incl. Extra To<strong>to</strong> and Extra Torwette<br />
| 60 | | 61 |<br />
*) as at 31.12.2008<br />
50%<br />
68%<br />
50%<br />
100% 100%<br />
56%<br />
<strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries | report ’08
eport ’08 | win2day.at<br />
WIN2DAY.AT<br />
Gamesroom<br />
Codeknacker Keno Pferderennen Spin & Win<br />
Eldorado Penalty Por<strong>to</strong>bello Western Saloon<br />
Lottery Games<br />
Lot<strong>to</strong> To<strong>to</strong> ToiToiToi Brieflos<br />
Joker Extra To<strong>to</strong> Zahlenlot<strong>to</strong> Klassenlotterie<br />
EuroMillions Bingo Rubbellos<br />
Casino Games<br />
Roulette: Video Poker: Chicken Slot Schatzinsel<br />
American Roulette Draw Poker Cleopatra‘s Gold Schatzkammer<br />
French Roulette Jacks or Better Dolphin Star Wild Fruits<br />
Cards: Joker and Kings Goldmine Magic Money<br />
Black Jack Lucky Joker Jungle Jane Dice:<br />
Tropical Stud Poker Double Draw Faces Lucky Monsters Escalero<br />
Easy Hold‘em Poker Slots: Pirates Bay European Seven Eleven<br />
Red Dog African King Robbie Rich Würfelpoker<br />
Pokerroom<br />
Texas Hold‘em Five Card Draw Omaha Seven Card Stud<br />
Virtual Reality<br />
Casino games, <strong>the</strong>med games, Poker room and virtual Lot<strong>to</strong> and To<strong>to</strong> sales outlet – win2day.at<br />
offers all this and more, with strictest security and <strong>the</strong> protection of minors and players<br />
guaranteed.<br />
A Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> and <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries<br />
joint venture, <strong>the</strong> internet gaming platform<br />
win2day.at offers something for every taste: from<br />
classic casino games, specially designed <strong>the</strong>med<br />
games, Lot<strong>to</strong> and To<strong>to</strong> through <strong>to</strong> Poker. With <strong>the</strong><br />
launch of its Pokerroom on 7 February 2008 win-<br />
2day.at achieved yet ano<strong>the</strong>r first – <strong>the</strong> first all-<br />
<strong>Austria</strong>n online Poker room that not only matches<br />
its international counterparts in every way,<br />
but actually outplays <strong>the</strong>m.<br />
With Poker rooms a dime a dozen nowadays, it can<br />
be hard <strong>to</strong> tell one from <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r. And many of<br />
<strong>the</strong>m are sadly lacking in one particular aspect:<br />
entertainment value. The Pokerroom at win2day.at<br />
is different, and when it comes <strong>to</strong> entertainment<br />
value, it is quite literally ahead of <strong>the</strong> pack. All its<br />
Hold’em tables are named after <strong>Austria</strong>n <strong>to</strong>wns,<br />
mountains or rivers, and <strong>the</strong> names of many of<br />
its <strong>to</strong>urnaments are <strong>Austria</strong>n through and through<br />
– just two of <strong>the</strong> many features that set it apart.<br />
So players can set off on a virtual Poker <strong>to</strong>ur from<br />
“Kitzbühel” over <strong>the</strong> summit of <strong>the</strong> “Hochkönig”<br />
and along <strong>the</strong> banks of <strong>the</strong> “Mur” <strong>to</strong> “Graz”. The<br />
chat is kept in German, so that Poker fans can also<br />
enjoy a bit of <strong>Austria</strong>n humor along <strong>the</strong> way.<br />
As with all o<strong>the</strong>r win2day.at games, security and<br />
responsibility naturally played a key role in every<br />
stage of <strong>the</strong> Poker room’s development. Responsible<br />
gaming aspects are particularly important<br />
when it comes <strong>to</strong> online Poker sites, and <strong>the</strong> new<br />
Poker room not only had <strong>to</strong> comply with all <strong>the</strong><br />
familiar win2day.at responsible gaming features<br />
– like strict registration procedures and <strong>the</strong> compulsory<br />
setting of deposit and playing time limits<br />
– it also had <strong>to</strong> guarantee that players are protected<br />
from o<strong>the</strong>rs trying <strong>to</strong> fix matches or cheat.<br />
Security and integrity are central <strong>to</strong> all activities<br />
at win2day.at and <strong>to</strong> any new games added <strong>to</strong> its<br />
portfolio. Protection against criminal activities is a<br />
core aspect here, since it is <strong>the</strong> anonymity offered<br />
by some online gaming platforms that can attract<br />
people with dishonest intentions and encourage<br />
money laundering and cheating. Thanks <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> inbuilt<br />
tried and tested cutting edge security software<br />
and <strong>the</strong> permanent moni<strong>to</strong>ring of <strong>the</strong> site by<br />
fully-trained experts, this simply cannot happen at<br />
win2day.at. The fact that all players have <strong>to</strong> register<br />
with <strong>the</strong> site by name and <strong>the</strong> personal details<br />
provided are verified before anyone is allowed <strong>to</strong><br />
play also adds a fur<strong>the</strong>r layer of security. Anonymous<br />
con artists have no chance at win2day.at.<br />
All <strong>the</strong>se fac<strong>to</strong>rs offer clear confirmation of <strong>the</strong><br />
high standards of security in place at win2day.<br />
at, and it is <strong>the</strong>se standards that ensure <strong>the</strong> site<br />
continues <strong>to</strong> grow in popularity. In 2008, win2day.<br />
at reported sales of 945.55 million euro (2007:<br />
808 million euro) and a Poker rake of five million<br />
euro. As of 31 December 2008, <strong>the</strong> site had a <strong>to</strong>tal<br />
of 400,000 registered users. �<br />
| 62 | | 63 |
eport ’08 | WINWIN<br />
A WINWIN Situation<br />
Despite difficult operating conditions in 2008, WINWIN added two fur<strong>the</strong>r chapters <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> VLT<br />
outlet success s<strong>to</strong>ry that began back in 2004.<br />
Video Lottery Terminals – or VLTs for short<br />
– might be optically similar <strong>to</strong> classic slot<br />
machines, but behind this façade lies a great deal<br />
more. The difference between VLTs and conventional<br />
gaming machines lies in <strong>the</strong> technology and gaming<br />
mechanism: a complex computer network fully<br />
equipped with <strong>the</strong> latest and best security standards<br />
guarantees reliable gaming entertainment of <strong>the</strong><br />
highest level.<br />
With two new outlets opened last year in Landeck, Tyrol<br />
and Vöcklabruck, Upper <strong>Austria</strong>, Glücks- und Unterhaltungsspiel<br />
Betriebsgesellschaft m.b.H. (“Entertainment<br />
GmbH”) – better known by <strong>the</strong> brand name<br />
WINWIN – operated a <strong>to</strong>tal of 11 outlets across <strong>Austria</strong><br />
as of 31 December 2008. Each of <strong>the</strong>se outlets<br />
offers between 50 and 150 such VLTs, all permanently<br />
linked <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries central computer<br />
center. While conventional slot machines determine<br />
<strong>the</strong> outcome of a wager independently using a random<br />
number genera<strong>to</strong>r, this is decided for WINWIN<br />
machines by <strong>the</strong> random number genera<strong>to</strong>r on a central<br />
computer – based on set odds and payout limits<br />
approved by <strong>the</strong> <strong>Austria</strong>n Federal Ministry of Finance.<br />
As a joint subsidiary of Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> and <strong>Austria</strong>n<br />
Lotteries, WINWIN perfectly combines <strong>the</strong> extensive<br />
THE 11 WINWIN OUTLETS<br />
know-how and industry expertise of both companies<br />
– Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> with its 75 casinos on five continents<br />
and over 40 years experience in casino gaming<br />
and <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries with its wealth of experience<br />
in online gaming. <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries also holds<br />
<strong>the</strong> appropriate electronic lotteries license required<br />
<strong>to</strong> operate VLTs under Section 12a of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Austria</strong>n<br />
Gaming Act.<br />
True <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir mot<strong>to</strong>, WINWIN outlets really do have<br />
it all: <strong>the</strong> trendy 500 <strong>to</strong> 650 square meter venues<br />
are all home not just <strong>to</strong> at least 50 gaming terminals,<br />
<strong>the</strong>y also serve a wide selection of good food<br />
and drinks. The target group is fun-loving, entertainment-minded<br />
people, who enjoy rounding off a<br />
pleasant evening in a great setting with a few rounds<br />
on <strong>the</strong> gaming machines. And WINWIN is also proof<br />
that good gaming entertainment doesn’t have <strong>to</strong> be<br />
expensive: its VLTs can be played from as little as<br />
one cent, with maximum possible winnings of up <strong>to</strong><br />
26,050 euro. Fur<strong>the</strong>r WINWIN outlets are currently<br />
also in <strong>the</strong> pipeline.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> 2008 business year, WINWIN posted sales of<br />
303.92 million euro, an increase of over 35 percent<br />
compared <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> previous year.<br />
�<br />
Am Marienbrunnen 346, 6290 Mayrhofen: 50 VLTs, tipp3 Betting Lounge<br />
Tyrol:<br />
Bozenerplatz 2, 9900 Lienz: 80 VLTs, tipp3 Betting Lounge<br />
Malserstraße 25, 6500 Landeck: 50 VLTs, tipp3 Betting Lounge<br />
Salzburg: Seegasse 5, 5700 Zell am See: 63 VLTs, tipp3 Betting Lounge<br />
| 64 | | 65 |<br />
Upper <strong>Austria</strong>:<br />
Lower <strong>Austria</strong>:<br />
Unterer Stadtplatz 3, 4780 Schärding: 81 VLTs, tipp3 Betting Lounge<br />
Grünmarkt 17, 4400 Steyr: 50 VLTs, tipp3 Betting Lounge<br />
Kaiser-Josef-Platz 8, 4600 Wels: 50 VLTs, tipp3 Betting Lounge<br />
Stadtplatz 21, 4840 Vöcklabruck: 50 VLTs, tipp3 Betting Lounge<br />
Wienergasse 3, 2460 Bruck/Leitha: 50 VLTs, tipp3 Betting Lounge<br />
Racinoplatz 1, 2483 Ebreichsdorf: 150 VLTs<br />
Hamerlingstraße 5, 3910 Zwettl: 50 VLTs, tipp3 Betting Lounge
eport ’08 | tipp3<br />
TIPP3<br />
50 million euro in sales<br />
65,000 registered online users<br />
3,700 sales outlets in <strong>Austria</strong><br />
10 tipp3 Betting Lounges in WINWIN outlets<br />
Betting arena on <strong>the</strong> Goleador site<br />
Betting by text message<br />
tipp3-fan.tv<br />
Main sponsor of <strong>the</strong> "tipp3-Bundesliga<br />
powered by T-Mobile"<br />
A Hot Tip(p)<br />
tipp3 (Österreichische Sportwetten GmbH) has been a <strong>to</strong>p scorer in <strong>the</strong> highly competitive<br />
betting sports betting sec<strong>to</strong>r for <strong>the</strong> last nine years – and caused great excitement among<br />
fans in 2008 as new lead sponsor of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Austria</strong>n Football Bundesliga.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> words of <strong>the</strong> stars of <strong>the</strong> tipp3 advertising<br />
campaign – <strong>Austria</strong>n sports reporters Adi Niederkorn<br />
and Edi Finger Jr. – things looked “guat”, yes<br />
“even very guat” in 2008. Good for tipp3 and for <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>Austria</strong>n Football Bundesliga.<br />
tipp3 was definitely match-ready for <strong>the</strong> kick-off of<br />
UEFA EURO 2008 – <strong>the</strong> football event of <strong>the</strong> year<br />
– and its careful preparations more than proved<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir worth, with <strong>the</strong> company recording a doubledigit<br />
percentage increase in betting sales during<br />
<strong>the</strong> championship period. In <strong>to</strong>tal, Österreichische<br />
Sportwetten GmbH (“<strong>Austria</strong>n Sports Betting Ltd.”)<br />
posted annual sales for 2008 of around 50 million<br />
euro. In doing so, <strong>the</strong> Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> and <strong>Austria</strong>n<br />
Lotteries joint venture with <strong>the</strong> <strong>Austria</strong>n media organizations<br />
Bundesländerverlage and Mediaprint, successfully<br />
outperformed average results for <strong>the</strong> sec<strong>to</strong>r.<br />
To remain ahead of <strong>the</strong> game, tipp3 continually introduces<br />
new products and services. As an added<br />
convenience <strong>to</strong> cus<strong>to</strong>mers, betting by text message<br />
was introduced at <strong>the</strong> start of 2008. Cus<strong>to</strong>mers who<br />
cannot make it <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir local tipp3 sales outlet during<br />
opening hours or cannot get <strong>to</strong> a PC with internet<br />
access can now place <strong>the</strong>ir bets quickly and easily<br />
by text message. Service and fun were also two of<br />
<strong>the</strong> key fac<strong>to</strong>rs behind <strong>the</strong> introduction of <strong>the</strong> tipp3<br />
QuickTipp. All <strong>the</strong> cus<strong>to</strong>mer has <strong>to</strong> do is pick <strong>the</strong> level<br />
of risk – <strong>the</strong> system at <strong>the</strong> sales outlet does <strong>the</strong> rest<br />
and suggests <strong>the</strong> appropriate bet.<br />
Also a firm favorite with <strong>the</strong> 65,000 registered online<br />
cus<strong>to</strong>mers of www.tipp3.at is <strong>the</strong> fan.tv option<br />
with its up-<strong>to</strong>-date selection of video clips of current<br />
championship events.<br />
On <strong>the</strong> subject of championships: <strong>the</strong> general enthusiasm<br />
for football following UEFA EURO 2008<br />
and <strong>the</strong> continued rise in interest in sports betting<br />
prompted tipp3 <strong>to</strong> intensify its cooperation activities<br />
with <strong>the</strong> <strong>Austria</strong>n Football Bundesliga. tipp3 became<br />
a lead sponsor of <strong>the</strong> Bundesliga at <strong>the</strong> start of <strong>the</strong><br />
2008/2009 season, with <strong>Austria</strong>’s <strong>to</strong>p football clubs<br />
kicking off in <strong>the</strong> new “tipp3-Bundesliga powered by<br />
T-Mobile” since 1 July 2008.<br />
�<br />
(l. <strong>to</strong> r.): Joachim Burger (T-Mobile), Bundesliga Chairman Georg Pangl and tipp3 Chairman Dietmar Hoscher<br />
seal <strong>the</strong>ir partnership<br />
| 66 | | 67 |
eport ’08 | Responsible Gaming<br />
Responsible Gaming<br />
The proof of a great night out at <strong>the</strong> casino is waking up <strong>the</strong> next morning with <strong>the</strong> smile still on your face. Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> ensures that<br />
everyone can rest assured – and no one needs <strong>to</strong> hide under <strong>the</strong> bedspread.<br />
A guest who has enjoyed a great evening’s<br />
entertainment at <strong>the</strong> casino should still<br />
be smiling about it <strong>the</strong> next day. The memories<br />
of those happy hours should linger on for many<br />
a day <strong>to</strong> come: <strong>the</strong> exquisite meal, <strong>the</strong> glass of<br />
sparkling wine, <strong>the</strong> charm and expertise of <strong>the</strong><br />
helpful casino staff and – above all – <strong>the</strong> fun and<br />
excitement of watching <strong>the</strong> Roulette ball spin<br />
around <strong>the</strong> wheel, trying <strong>to</strong> read <strong>the</strong> expressions<br />
on <strong>the</strong> faces of <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r players around <strong>the</strong> Poker<br />
table or waiting for <strong>the</strong> symbols on <strong>the</strong> slot<br />
machines <strong>to</strong> finally come <strong>to</strong> a halt.<br />
Yet for Casinos <strong>Austria</strong>, perfect cus<strong>to</strong>mer service<br />
extends far beyond <strong>the</strong> actual visit <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> casino.<br />
Our exemplary player protection measures ensure<br />
gaming remains <strong>the</strong> fun experience it is intended <strong>to</strong><br />
be, and begin <strong>the</strong> moment a guest enters <strong>the</strong> foyer<br />
with our strict registration procedures. Player protection<br />
and responsible gaming are not just clear<br />
requirements laid down by <strong>the</strong> national regula<strong>to</strong>ry<br />
authorities, <strong>the</strong>y are also an integral part of corporate<br />
culture at Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> and are firmly rooted<br />
in <strong>the</strong> company’s traditions.<br />
The vast majority of people who enjoy gaming do so<br />
responsibly, reasonably and within <strong>the</strong>ir means. But<br />
<strong>the</strong>re are a few exceptions <strong>to</strong> this rule. To address<br />
this, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> provides regular and thorough<br />
training for staff, ensuring <strong>the</strong>y are able <strong>to</strong> recognize<br />
<strong>the</strong> signs of a potential gambling problem. The company<br />
is fully aware that gambling can be a problem<br />
for some people and can have negative consequences<br />
in some cases. But at Casinos <strong>Austria</strong>, responsible<br />
gaming is not just a byword, it’s a guiding principle.<br />
Tight access controls are in place <strong>to</strong> protect minors<br />
from gaming itself and prevent this particularly vulnerable<br />
group from even coming in <strong>the</strong> vicinity of<br />
gaming premises. In addition <strong>to</strong> access restrictions,<br />
<strong>the</strong>re are a whole range of fur<strong>the</strong>r measures in place<br />
<strong>to</strong> protect players from any negative effects of<br />
gambling. Casinos <strong>Austria</strong>’s fully-trained staff and<br />
cutting edge security technology and facilities ensure<br />
permanent moni<strong>to</strong>ring of gaming activities.<br />
Naturally, all this is done with absolute discretion<br />
so no one ever has <strong>the</strong> feeling <strong>the</strong>y are being<br />
watched. But as soon as any money is changed,<br />
this information is recorded. If <strong>the</strong> frequency of<br />
<strong>the</strong>se transactions, <strong>the</strong> amounts involved or even a<br />
combination of <strong>the</strong> two indicate <strong>the</strong>re might be a<br />
cause for concern, a qualified member of staff will<br />
initially broach <strong>the</strong> matter with <strong>the</strong> guest and work<br />
with <strong>the</strong>m <strong>to</strong> find a solution. Whe<strong>the</strong>r this ultimately<br />
results in a ban, <strong>the</strong> setting of betting limits or a<br />
restriction in <strong>the</strong> number of permitted casino visits,<br />
<strong>to</strong>ge<strong>the</strong>r we find a way. The company’s Responsible<br />
Gaming department ensures that <strong>the</strong> latest<br />
information material, including flyers on gambling<br />
addiction, is always available and prominently on<br />
display in all 12 <strong>Austria</strong>n casinos.<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> has always sought <strong>to</strong> draw greater<br />
public attention <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>to</strong>pic of gambling addiction.<br />
Like all o<strong>the</strong>r forms of addiction, this is a social<br />
problem and has <strong>to</strong> be given wide media attention.<br />
To ensure this becomes <strong>the</strong> case, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong><br />
launched a “Responsible Gaming Breakfast” initiative<br />
<strong>to</strong> provide first-hand information <strong>to</strong> leading<br />
media representatives. The strong interest in this<br />
initiative confirmed <strong>the</strong> clear information deficit on<br />
<strong>the</strong> subject of gambling addiction and <strong>the</strong> strong<br />
demand for Casinos <strong>Austria</strong>’s know-how and expertise<br />
in this field. This applies both <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> facts<br />
and figures produced by <strong>the</strong> company itself as well<br />
as <strong>to</strong> latest research results. Once a year, Casinos<br />
<strong>Austria</strong> and <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries also organize a “Responsible<br />
Gaming Academy”, whose seminars and<br />
workshops provide a forum for <strong>the</strong> presentation of<br />
<strong>the</strong> latest insights and research and in-depth discussions<br />
with independent experts on gambling<br />
addiction and associated fields.<br />
All <strong>the</strong>se efforts ensure that our staff go <strong>to</strong> work with<br />
a <strong>to</strong>tally clear conscience, while our guests can rest<br />
assured that <strong>the</strong>ir next visit <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> casino will be just<br />
as safe and just as much fun as <strong>the</strong> last. �<br />
Responsible Gaming | report ’08<br />
| 68 | | 69 |
eport ’08 | Security<br />
Security in Mind<br />
Central surveillance is <strong>the</strong> new hot <strong>to</strong>pic when it comes <strong>to</strong> Responsible Gaming at Casinos<br />
<strong>Austria</strong>. Our responsible approach <strong>to</strong> this <strong>to</strong>pic has earned us a reputation for excellence<br />
that extends far beyond our national borders.<br />
The technical finesse of <strong>the</strong> systems in <strong>the</strong><br />
unobtrusive room is not immediately apparent<br />
<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> uninitiated. Surrounded by moni<strong>to</strong>rs,<br />
a member of <strong>the</strong> surveillance team sits at<br />
his desk with a special keyboard and joystick <strong>to</strong><br />
hand. Anyone who might assume he was playing<br />
<strong>the</strong> latest computer game would be seriously<br />
mistaken. He uses <strong>the</strong>se devices <strong>to</strong> rapidly<br />
switch from one casino <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> next and with a few<br />
clicks of <strong>the</strong> mouse can cover a distance of several<br />
hundred kilometers almost instantaneously.<br />
Central surveillance is <strong>the</strong> latest addition <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> security system and a fur<strong>the</strong>r example<br />
of <strong>the</strong> company’s pioneering role in <strong>the</strong><br />
gaming industry.<br />
There are several aspects <strong>to</strong> security at Casinos<br />
<strong>Austria</strong>. Naturally, we place utmost importance<br />
on providing <strong>the</strong> guests at our 12 casinos across<br />
<strong>Austria</strong> with a safe and secure environment in<br />
which <strong>to</strong> enjoy a few hours of fun and entertainment.<br />
But we also focus on <strong>the</strong> safety and security<br />
of society as a whole. For example, when it<br />
comes <strong>to</strong> protection against organized crime and<br />
money laundering, two areas that in some countries<br />
are unfortunately all <strong>to</strong>o often associated<br />
with casino gaming.<br />
At Casinos <strong>Austria</strong>, security is viewed as a service<br />
that is constantly changing, just like <strong>the</strong><br />
demands and expectations of casino guests.<br />
Critically assessing and auditing <strong>the</strong> standards<br />
already in place is a key challenge. Such so-called<br />
Security Audits apply as much <strong>to</strong> alarm systems<br />
as <strong>the</strong>y do <strong>to</strong> Roulette wheels, which are checked,<br />
for example, for unevenness, ball track, elasticity<br />
of dividing bars and number slot dimensions. At<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong>, <strong>the</strong>se audits are an integral part<br />
of our comprehensive security package.<br />
The security solutions developed by Casinos <strong>Austria</strong><br />
regularly set new standards for <strong>the</strong> entire gaming<br />
industry. Our national experts are linked <strong>to</strong> all key<br />
players in <strong>the</strong> market through <strong>the</strong> “International<br />
Association of Casino Security”, where <strong>the</strong>y can discuss<br />
latest developments and best practices and<br />
promote <strong>the</strong>ir own know-how.<br />
Protection against Criminal Activities<br />
The fact that money laundering and organized<br />
crime are not associated with casino gaming in<br />
<strong>Austria</strong> can be attributed in no small way <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
country’s strict provider monopoly. The existence<br />
of a single, known, reliable and trustworthy provider<br />
who conducts gaming operations in accordance<br />
with all regula<strong>to</strong>ry policy maxims, makes<br />
it easier for <strong>the</strong> authorities and <strong>the</strong> general public<br />
<strong>to</strong> rule out <strong>the</strong> likelihood of criminal activities.<br />
Money laundering in casinos can be prevented by<br />
clear statu<strong>to</strong>ry regulations and strict checks and<br />
balances – from guest identity, transparency of<br />
payouts, recording of casino revenues <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> integrity<br />
of <strong>the</strong> opera<strong>to</strong>r.<br />
An external review of <strong>the</strong>se endeavors by <strong>the</strong> <strong>Austria</strong>n<br />
Federal Ministries of Finance and <strong>the</strong> Interior<br />
(Bundeskriminalamt, “Federal Criminal Intelligence<br />
Service, Department for <strong>the</strong> Prevention<br />
of Organized Crime”) was very positive: all security<br />
measures in place in our domestic casinos far �<br />
Security | report ’08<br />
| 70 | | 71 |
eport ’08 | Security<br />
exceed typical levels of control. These include<br />
identity verification procedures prior <strong>to</strong> entry,<br />
transaction moni<strong>to</strong>ring and targeted staff training.<br />
Payouts are moni<strong>to</strong>red and recorded: all<br />
cash desk transactions are captured on video.<br />
The s<strong>to</strong>red video data is subject <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> statu<strong>to</strong>ry<br />
duty of confidentiality.<br />
But security issues in a casino environment extend<br />
beyond <strong>the</strong>se important regula<strong>to</strong>ry requirements<br />
– also covering <strong>the</strong> safety and security<br />
of operations, staff and guests in <strong>the</strong> individual<br />
casinos. At Casinos <strong>Austria</strong>, each casino has<br />
its own security department and a highly trained<br />
team of security experts with international experience.<br />
These departments provide an extensive<br />
range of security services: from first aid <strong>to</strong><br />
building evacuation in <strong>the</strong> case of a fire. Emergency<br />
procedures and scenarios are regularly<br />
rehearsed, with <strong>to</strong>p priority given <strong>to</strong> prevention<br />
ra<strong>the</strong>r than reaction.<br />
Data Protection<br />
State-of-<strong>the</strong>-art alarm systems, entry checks,<br />
video surveillance, smoke detec<strong>to</strong>rs, motion detec<strong>to</strong>rs<br />
and direct links <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> Police and Fire<br />
Departments have long been standard in every<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> AG casino. The clear focus of<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir use lies in protecting our cus<strong>to</strong>mers and<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir privacy: <strong>the</strong> <strong>Austria</strong>n Gaming Act specifically<br />
binds Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> <strong>to</strong> a duty of absolute<br />
confidentiality regarding guests and <strong>the</strong>ir gam-<br />
ing activities. Data protection issues take highest<br />
priority in <strong>the</strong> planning and development of any<br />
software <strong>to</strong>ols. A comprehensive access rights<br />
system is in place for all guest-related applications<br />
<strong>to</strong> ensure such data can only be accessed<br />
by authorized members of staff.<br />
Zero Tolerance for Cheating<br />
At Casinos <strong>Austria</strong>, our guests naturally take<br />
center stage in all such considerations and endeavors.<br />
Our guarantee <strong>to</strong> provide fair gaming<br />
entertainment without unwanted side effects is<br />
one of our major success fac<strong>to</strong>rs, and our company<br />
has a long his<strong>to</strong>ry of success in upholding<br />
this guarantee.<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> staff are trained <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> highest<br />
international standards. Strict internal checks<br />
and balances ensure that all statu<strong>to</strong>ry and regula<strong>to</strong>ry<br />
provisions are adhered <strong>to</strong> and guarantee<br />
maximum integrity and reliability. Our staff are<br />
strictly forbidden <strong>to</strong> accept personal financial<br />
gifts or payments from guests or <strong>to</strong> participate<br />
in any gaming activities <strong>the</strong>mselves. Guests are<br />
not permitted <strong>to</strong> use any technical aids. Casino<br />
inven<strong>to</strong>ry and equipment is locked and secured<br />
outside gaming hours. Attempts <strong>to</strong> manipulate<br />
gaming activities are prevented using motion detec<strong>to</strong>rs<br />
and alarm systems. Mobile inven<strong>to</strong>ry and<br />
equipment (e.g. cards and dice) are also s<strong>to</strong>red<br />
in a secure location and carefully checked at regular<br />
intervals. �<br />
Security | report ’08<br />
| 72 | | 73 |
eport ’08 | Sponsoring<br />
Karl S<strong>to</strong>ss with Wolfgang Kopetzky – Secretary General of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Austria</strong>n Red Cross Cooperation with <strong>the</strong> Burg<strong>the</strong>ater in Vienna – “Row 13 for 13 euro”<br />
Big Spender<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong>, <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries and tipp3 have been active sponsors of social, cultural<br />
and sporting activities for decades. In 2008 alone, <strong>the</strong>y contributed over 70 million euro<br />
<strong>to</strong> good causes.<br />
A few things were a little different about <strong>the</strong><br />
Vienna Opera Ball this year. Above all <strong>the</strong><br />
expectations of <strong>the</strong> media and <strong>the</strong> general public.<br />
There were even some who dared <strong>to</strong> suggest<br />
that it might be time for this grand society event<br />
<strong>to</strong> take its final bow. But <strong>the</strong>y were mistaken. The<br />
2009 Opera Ball again attracted a great deal of<br />
interest, and this year’s guests were again treated<br />
<strong>to</strong> a whole host of musical, culinary and entertainment<br />
delights.<br />
And nobody had <strong>to</strong> do without <strong>the</strong> popular “Opera<br />
Ball Casino” ei<strong>the</strong>r, one of <strong>the</strong> permanent features<br />
of a successful ball night. In <strong>the</strong> magnificent<br />
setting of <strong>the</strong> Schwindfoyer – a beautiful hall hung<br />
with oil paintings after sketches by <strong>Austria</strong>n artist<br />
Moritz von Schwind – Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> offered<br />
ball-goers an exciting introduction <strong>to</strong> our extensive<br />
gaming mix. But something was different about<br />
<strong>the</strong> casino this year <strong>to</strong>o. Whereas in previous years<br />
guests had played for money, this year’s casino<br />
was run entirely for a good cause. Up for grabs<br />
were fantastic non-cash prizes – including a trip<br />
for two <strong>to</strong> Australia – with all donations <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> proceedings<br />
going <strong>to</strong> charity.<br />
In <strong>the</strong>se times of economic doom and gloom, <strong>the</strong><br />
company decided <strong>to</strong> take this opportunity <strong>to</strong> set a<br />
good example.<br />
Both Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> and <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries embrace<br />
<strong>the</strong> goal of providing help <strong>to</strong> those causes<br />
that will put <strong>the</strong> money <strong>to</strong> best use – causes that will<br />
benefit society as a whole. They provide extensive<br />
support, for example, <strong>to</strong> public organizations which<br />
rely on sponsorship funding <strong>to</strong> continue <strong>the</strong>ir good<br />
work. “We put a lot of effort in<strong>to</strong> projects like <strong>the</strong><br />
Giant Panda Project, which help protect endangered<br />
species. Many of <strong>the</strong>se projects would not be possible<br />
without <strong>the</strong> long-term support of loyal spon-<br />
sors like Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> and <strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries,”<br />
says Dagmar Schratter, Direc<strong>to</strong>r of Schönbrunn Zoo<br />
in Vienna. The Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Group’s deep commitment<br />
<strong>to</strong> social causes stretches back over 40<br />
years. It has supported <strong>the</strong> ORF children’s charity<br />
initiative Licht ins Dunkel since 1990, <strong>the</strong> Bregenzer<br />
Festspiele (“Bregenz Festival”) since 1980 and <strong>the</strong><br />
Wiener Festwochen (“Vienna Festival”) since 1968,<br />
i.e. for 41 years. “I really value our strong and fair<br />
partnership with Casinos <strong>Austria</strong>,” confirms Festival<br />
Direc<strong>to</strong>r Luc Bondy, emphasizing in particular<br />
<strong>the</strong> company’s “immense sense of loyalty”. David<br />
Pountney, Direc<strong>to</strong>r of <strong>the</strong> Bregenz Festival, is also<br />
quick <strong>to</strong> praise: “Casinos <strong>Austria</strong>’s long-term commitment<br />
has been instrumental in <strong>the</strong> success of<br />
<strong>the</strong> Bregenz Festival.” Over <strong>the</strong> years, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong>’s<br />
“Casino on Tour” events have also helped <strong>to</strong><br />
raise money for numerous charities. In 2008 alone,<br />
this mobile casino raised 107,502 euro for charitable<br />
organizations at 389 events across <strong>the</strong> whole<br />
of <strong>Austria</strong>.<br />
In 2008, <strong>the</strong> Group’s contributions <strong>to</strong> good causes<br />
(including its sponsorship of sports) <strong>to</strong>taled over<br />
70 million euro, contributions which cannot be<br />
calculated in strictly tangible terms alone, e.g. return<br />
on investment. So while good fortune is <strong>the</strong><br />
focus of our business activities, <strong>the</strong> Group also<br />
puts great effort in<strong>to</strong> helping <strong>the</strong> less fortunate<br />
in society, contributing <strong>to</strong> public health and supporting<br />
<strong>the</strong> Arts <strong>to</strong> ensure that as broad an audience<br />
as possible has access <strong>to</strong> works of art and<br />
cultural events.<br />
The companies in <strong>the</strong> Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Group take<br />
<strong>the</strong>ir social responsibility and <strong>the</strong>ir role as good<br />
corporate citizens very seriously and willingly accept<br />
and embrace <strong>the</strong>ir moral duty <strong>to</strong> help o<strong>the</strong>rs.<br />
The accompanying PR benefits, while not irrelevant,<br />
definitely take second place.<br />
�<br />
SELECTED PROJECTS<br />
Sponsoring | report ’08<br />
Albertina Museum –<br />
“Monet <strong>to</strong> Picasso: The Batliner Collection"<br />
Arnold Schönberg Center<br />
<strong>Austria</strong>n Mountain Rescue Service<br />
<strong>Austria</strong>n National Library<br />
<strong>Austria</strong>n Olympic Committee<br />
<strong>Austria</strong>n Red Cross<br />
Boltzmann Institute – European Research Fellowship<br />
Bregenz Festival<br />
Bruno Kreisky Prize<br />
Burg<strong>the</strong>ater Vienna<br />
Cancer Research Initiative<br />
Cardinal König Prize for Visual Arts<br />
Caritas – Haus Immanuel for Mo<strong>the</strong>rs and Children<br />
in Need<br />
European Forum Alpbach<br />
Figl Stiftung<br />
Gala “Nacht des Sports” (“Night of Sport”)<br />
Helene Partik-Pablé Project <strong>to</strong> Help <strong>the</strong> Disabled<br />
Jazz Fest Wien (“Vienna Jazz Festival”)<br />
Licht ins Dunkel<br />
“Living with Cancer” Initiative<br />
Nestroy Theater Prize<br />
Schönbrunn Zoo Vienna<br />
SOS Children’s Villages Charity Gala<br />
Spanish Riding School Vienna<br />
Tag des Sports (“<strong>Austria</strong>n Day of Sport”)<br />
tipp3-Bundesliga<br />
Vienna Economic Forum<br />
Vienna Festival<br />
Vienna State Opera<br />
Vienna University of Economics and<br />
Business Administration<br />
Volks<strong>the</strong>ater Vienna<br />
Workers Samaritan Federation <strong>Austria</strong><br />
WWF<br />
| 74 | | 75 |
eport ’08 | Employees<br />
A Winning Team<br />
Qualified personnel is one of <strong>the</strong> most valuable assets a service provider can have.<br />
The Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Group has a winning team of 13,532 highly qualified employees,<br />
who make a huge contribution <strong>to</strong> its success.<br />
For <strong>the</strong> staff in <strong>the</strong> Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Group, 2008<br />
was a year of change. The introduction of a<br />
new streamlined organizational structure meant<br />
many of <strong>the</strong>m found <strong>the</strong>mselves in new or slightly<br />
altered roles and facing new challenges.<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> naturally made every possible<br />
effort <strong>to</strong> ensure employees received <strong>the</strong> support<br />
<strong>the</strong>y needed during this change process – through<br />
a specially designed Change Management Program<br />
and a series of workshops initiated and run<br />
by our Human Resources department in collaboration<br />
with external experts.<br />
There was much speculation in <strong>the</strong> press that<br />
<strong>the</strong> streamlining of processes within <strong>the</strong> Group<br />
might lead <strong>to</strong> a wave of redundancies. But this<br />
was never <strong>the</strong> intention behind <strong>the</strong> strategy and,<br />
of course, never happened. New projects like <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries market launch in <strong>the</strong> Russian<br />
Republic of Bashkor<strong>to</strong>stan and <strong>the</strong> expansion of<br />
our business activities in <strong>the</strong> sports betting and<br />
online gaming segments – which would o<strong>the</strong>rwise<br />
have necessitated <strong>the</strong> recruitment of additional<br />
staff – could thus be predominantly covered using<br />
existing internal resources.<br />
The Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Group employed on average<br />
a <strong>to</strong>tal of 13,532 people in 2008, 2,332 of <strong>the</strong>m<br />
in <strong>Austria</strong>.<br />
All our employees have access <strong>to</strong> – and make<br />
active use of – our comprehensive range of inhouse<br />
and external training and fur<strong>the</strong>r education<br />
programs.<br />
People like working for <strong>the</strong> Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Group.<br />
The average length of service currently stands at<br />
around ten years, and Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> even has a<br />
large number of employees who have been with<br />
<strong>the</strong> company for 30 years or more. Each and every<br />
one of <strong>the</strong>m has a wealth of experience and knowhow,<br />
and this is unquestionably a winning fac<strong>to</strong>r in<br />
our corporate success.<br />
�<br />
EMPLOYEES BY COMPANY<br />
Employees | report ’08<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> ** 1,752<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> International 11,200<br />
<strong>Austria</strong>n Lotteries 442<br />
Entertainment GmbH 138<br />
Group Total 13,532<br />
* Annual average full-time equivalents<br />
** incl. CAGAST, CAST, CCB and CALL<br />
| 76 | | 77 |<br />
*
eport ’08 | Events<br />
Undine Awards Gala at Grand Casino Baden<br />
In <strong>the</strong> Spotlight<br />
Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> also enjoys a long-standing reputation as a leading event organizer. Our<br />
casinos host literally hundreds of events every year – from art exhibitions, fashion shows,<br />
cabaret performances and concerts through <strong>to</strong> conferences and charity galas. Our range<br />
of exciting gaming <strong>to</strong>urnaments also proved immensely popular with national and international<br />
guests alike in 2008, while “Casino on Tour”, our mobile casino, traveled <strong>to</strong> around<br />
400 events around <strong>the</strong> country <strong>to</strong> help raise funds for good causes.<br />
1 2 3<br />
1. Klaus Maria Brandauer and István Szabó; 2. Cosma Shiva Hagen and Klaus Eberhartinger; 3. Ann-Kathrin Kramer, Harald Krassnitzer, Governor of Lower <strong>Austria</strong> Erwin Pröll and Karl Merkatz<br />
The highly-prized Undine Awards were presented <strong>to</strong> young, talented ac<strong>to</strong>rs and actresses for <strong>the</strong> fifth year in succession at a glamorous, high-profile<br />
gala ceremony in Grand Casino Baden on 25 Oc<strong>to</strong>ber 2008. Numerous film and TV stars attended <strong>the</strong> prestigious event, paying tribute <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> achievements<br />
of <strong>the</strong> award-winning young ac<strong>to</strong>rs as <strong>the</strong>y presented <strong>the</strong> coveted awards.<br />
1 2<br />
1. ( l. <strong>to</strong> r.): Ex-Davis Cup player Markus Hipfl, Tournament Direc<strong>to</strong>r Sandra Reichel, Tournament Spokesperson Judith Wiesner-Floimair,<br />
Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r Michael Leczek and Felix Gottwald; 2. Blackjack Tournament at Casino Bad Gastein. Casino<br />
Direc<strong>to</strong>r Michael Leczek with <strong>Austria</strong>n tennis players Melanie Klaffner, Patricia Mayr and Yvonne Meusburger (l. <strong>to</strong> r.)<br />
“Casino Ladies’ Night” at WTA<br />
Tennis Tournament<br />
The second annual “Gastein Ladies” WTA<br />
(Women’s Tennis Association) tennis <strong>to</strong>urnament<br />
with prize monies of $175,000 was held in July<br />
2008 in Bad Gastein. The world-class starting<br />
field, including two Top 20 players, Agnes Szavay<br />
and Alize Cornet, generated huge media interest.<br />
On day three of <strong>the</strong> <strong>to</strong>urnament, Casino Bad<br />
Gastein invited players, VIPs and sponsors <strong>to</strong><br />
a “Casino Ladies’ Night”. After s<strong>to</strong>cking up on<br />
those all-important carbohydrates at a special<br />
“Pasta Party”, <strong>the</strong> tennis ladies were treated <strong>to</strong><br />
some great gaming entertainment: with aces of<br />
a ra<strong>the</strong>r different kind calling <strong>the</strong> shots in a fun<br />
Blackjack Tournament.<br />
Bond Fever hits Bregenz<br />
Several scenes from <strong>the</strong> latest James Bond movie “Quantum of Solace”<br />
were filmed on location in Bregenz. The film’s release saw <strong>the</strong> <strong>to</strong>wn once<br />
again transformed in<strong>to</strong> a film set, with Casino Bregenz playing a starring<br />
role in <strong>the</strong> main 007 party. Five gaming tables added <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> excitement and<br />
flair of <strong>the</strong> event with guests enjoying a round of Roulette, Blackjack or<br />
Poker along with a well-mixed drink – naturally shaken not stirred.<br />
1. Croupier Andreas Haider at <strong>the</strong> Blackjack table; 2. Croupier Belinda Bischofsberger at <strong>the</strong> Poker table; 3. 007 lights up <strong>the</strong> Festival Hall<br />
Events | report ’08<br />
| 78 | | 79 |<br />
1<br />
2<br />
Casino Graz at <strong>the</strong> Opera Redoute<br />
The atmosphere evokes memories of <strong>the</strong> glory days of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Austria</strong>n<br />
monarchy – ladies elegant in <strong>the</strong>ir glamorous evening gowns and<br />
gentlemen suitably attired in tuxedos or tailcoats. For <strong>the</strong> last ten<br />
years, <strong>the</strong> Opera House in Graz glitters with all <strong>the</strong> pomp and circumstance<br />
of this bygone age when it becomes host <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> annual<br />
Opera Redoute. In <strong>the</strong> midst of all this glamour, <strong>the</strong> Casino Graz<br />
Champagne Lounge and French Roulette table became <strong>the</strong> place <strong>to</strong><br />
be seen at <strong>the</strong> 2008 event and a welcome spot for friends of <strong>the</strong><br />
casino <strong>to</strong> ga<strong>the</strong>r and enjoy <strong>the</strong>ir good fortune until <strong>the</strong> early hours.<br />
1 2<br />
1. & 2. Guests at <strong>the</strong> Opera Redoute in Graz enjoyed trying <strong>the</strong>ir luck at <strong>the</strong> Roulette table<br />
3
eport ’08 | Events<br />
Football Legends at<br />
Casino Innsbruck<br />
There were lots of famous faces <strong>to</strong><br />
be seen at Casino Innsbruck in <strong>the</strong><br />
weeks before and during <strong>the</strong> UEFA<br />
EURO 2008 European Football<br />
Championship. Pictures speak louder<br />
than words ...<br />
1. Carina Mauthner and TV presenter Michael Kriess with ex-national team players Gischi Westerthaler and Werner Kriess and two casino guests; 2. <strong>World</strong> Cup 1998 goalkeeping hero Davor<br />
Suker was also a welcome guest at Casino Innsbruck; 3. Tyrolean midfielder Clemens Walch, who transferred <strong>to</strong> VfB Stuttgart prior <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> European Championship, with Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r<br />
Kurt Steger and his new team jersey; 4. Tyrol and Innsbruck UEFA EURO 2008 ambassador Hansi Müller with Kurt Steger on <strong>the</strong> “Tyrol:08 pitch” in front of <strong>the</strong> casino; 5. Klaus Lindenberger<br />
(<strong>Austria</strong>n Football Association goalkeeping trainer), Michael Rummenigge and Kurt Steger enjoy a VIP table football match<br />
Miss Tyrol and Miss <strong>Austria</strong> 2008, Marina Schneider, with runners-up<br />
1 2<br />
3 14<br />
5<br />
The Prettiest Girl in Tyrol<br />
In 2008, <strong>the</strong> final of <strong>the</strong> Miss Tyrol beauty pageant<br />
was again held at Casino Kitzbühel. In a whole series<br />
of heats from <strong>the</strong> Ötztal Valley <strong>to</strong> East Tyrol,<br />
candidates from across <strong>the</strong> state gave <strong>the</strong>ir best<br />
as <strong>the</strong>y endeavored <strong>to</strong> qualify for <strong>the</strong> Grand Final.<br />
Having taken <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> catwalk <strong>to</strong> show off <strong>the</strong>ir curves<br />
in <strong>the</strong> evening wear and swimwear sections, <strong>the</strong><br />
young ladies later revealed <strong>the</strong>ir inner values in <strong>the</strong><br />
ever-popular “Personality Show”.<br />
The celebrity jury finally reached a unanimous<br />
decision: Marina Schneider was officially named<br />
<strong>the</strong> prettiest girl in Tyrol. And as if this wasn’t<br />
enough, she <strong>the</strong>n headed off east <strong>to</strong> pick up <strong>the</strong><br />
Miss <strong>Austria</strong> title as well at <strong>the</strong> Magna Racino in<br />
Ebreichsdorf.<br />
Big Changes in Kleinwalsertal<br />
Casino Kleinwalsertal celebrated its successful interior redesign with<br />
a glittering reopening party on 12 December 2008. Warm materials,<br />
soft lea<strong>the</strong>r, exquisite fabrics and sweeping forms define <strong>the</strong> new look<br />
and give <strong>the</strong> casino a real lounge-like atmosphere. A fur<strong>the</strong>r addition<br />
<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> look is <strong>the</strong> casino’s new multipurpose event room – <strong>the</strong> perfect<br />
venue for all manner of events: from seminars <strong>to</strong> cabaret shows.<br />
The “old” restaurant gave way <strong>to</strong> a spacious, modern Casineum event<br />
room. The blazing log fire in <strong>the</strong> gaming area is <strong>the</strong> sole reminder of<br />
<strong>the</strong> former rustic interior.<br />
2 3<br />
1. (l. <strong>to</strong> r.): Mayor Werner Strohmaier, Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r Gerhard Steurer and Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Direc<strong>to</strong>r General Karl S<strong>to</strong>ss at <strong>the</strong> opening ceremony; 2. Music by “harry and <strong>the</strong> nicknames”;<br />
3.The new-look Casino Kleinwalsertal<br />
1 2<br />
Events | report ’08<br />
| 80 | | 81 |<br />
1<br />
First Among 1,503 Players<br />
One of <strong>the</strong> gaming highlights of 2008 at Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> was undoubtedly<br />
“Beat’em all” – Europe’s largest live Poker <strong>to</strong>urnament. A<br />
<strong>to</strong>tal of 1,503 contestants battled it out in <strong>the</strong> electrifying final on<br />
30 November in Casino Linz, with Eduard Farkashazy from Vienna<br />
ultimately emerging <strong>the</strong> vic<strong>to</strong>r over <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r eight finalists <strong>to</strong> take<br />
home <strong>the</strong> lion’s share of <strong>the</strong> 142,785 euro pot. By popular demand,<br />
<strong>the</strong> highly successful “Beat’em all” <strong>to</strong>urnament will definitely be<br />
back in 2009.<br />
1. Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r Josef Kneifl with <strong>to</strong>urnament winner Eduard Farkashazy and Poker Manager Edgar Stuchly; 2. This pho<strong>to</strong> was taken before Farkashazy (r.) secured his vic<strong>to</strong>ry
eport ’08 | Events<br />
An<strong>to</strong>n Graf (President of <strong>the</strong> Salzburg Cancer Aid Association), Karin Pilz (Marketing & Sales), Kurt Pipal (Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r)<br />
Seefeld Crowns <strong>the</strong> Baccara <strong>World</strong> Champion<br />
<strong>From</strong> 3 <strong>to</strong> 5 Oc<strong>to</strong>ber 2008, Casino Seefeld hosted <strong>the</strong> Baccara <strong>World</strong> Championship for <strong>the</strong> 10th time. Top players from around <strong>the</strong> world flocked <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> casino <strong>to</strong> battle it out once again for <strong>the</strong><br />
title of “Baccara <strong>World</strong> Champion”. In addition <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> coveted title, <strong>the</strong> winner of this year’s event<br />
was also presented with <strong>the</strong> new “Ring of <strong>the</strong> Master” <strong>to</strong>p prize, a stunning ring worth over 10,000<br />
euro, specially created for <strong>the</strong> Baccara <strong>World</strong> Championship by local jewelry designer Armbruster<br />
from <strong>the</strong> Tiroler Schmuckkastl.<br />
2 3<br />
Charity Fashion Event in Salzburg<br />
On 30 September 2008, seven well-known female<br />
entrepreneurs hosted a Charity Fashion Cocktail<br />
event in <strong>the</strong> his<strong>to</strong>ric Salzburg Residenz in aid of <strong>the</strong><br />
“Salzburg Breast Cancer Initiative”. A regular supporter<br />
of “Pink Ribbon” events, Casino Salzburg<br />
also provided <strong>the</strong>m with a Roulette table for <strong>the</strong><br />
evening. In addition <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> stunning fashion show,<br />
good food and excellent entertainment, more than<br />
300 guests were also invited <strong>to</strong> “Faites vos jeux”,<br />
<strong>to</strong> boost <strong>the</strong> <strong>to</strong>tal amount raised by <strong>the</strong> evening’s<br />
festivities.<br />
1. The “Ring of <strong>the</strong> Master” worth over 10,000 euro has already become a cult object; 2. (l. <strong>to</strong> r.): Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r Ernst Hubmann, <strong>World</strong> Champion 2008 Giuseppe Cascetta with <strong>the</strong><br />
Casino Seefeld Baccara Team: Marco Peer, Erwin Serloth, Ronald Bösch; 3. Competi<strong>to</strong>rs enjoy some local cus<strong>to</strong>ms<br />
1<br />
Fête Blanche in Velden<br />
Fête Blanche – <strong>the</strong> summer party at Lake Wör<strong>the</strong>rsee – once again attracted<br />
thousands of party-goers <strong>to</strong> Carinthia. True <strong>to</strong> its mot<strong>to</strong>, Casino Velden<br />
hosted a spectacular “All in White” party in <strong>the</strong> Casineum with live music<br />
and an exquisite gala dinner.<br />
1. Thousands kept <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> white dress code at <strong>the</strong> Fête Blanche; 2. Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r Othmar Resch with Chef de Cuisine Marcel Vanic and staff; 3. The Fête Blanche Party on<br />
<strong>the</strong> square in front of <strong>the</strong> casino<br />
| 82 | | 83 |<br />
1<br />
2<br />
Poker in a Noble Setting<br />
Casino Wien has a new attraction. On 19 November 2008, <strong>Austria</strong>’s<br />
busiest casino opened its very own Poker Lounge. Architect Michael<br />
Manzenreiter – of Vienna Opera Ball fame – and his team had just<br />
three weeks <strong>to</strong> transform <strong>the</strong> former 2nd floor bistro in<strong>to</strong> an exquisite,<br />
professional and welcoming Poker room. The results clearly speak for<br />
<strong>the</strong>mselves. The fun opening event was attended by colleagues, friends<br />
of <strong>the</strong> casino, Poker fans and numerous journalists.<br />
2 3 4<br />
3<br />
1. The new Poker lounge; 2. Cool, yet still cozy; 3. The Poker Lounge Dream Team (l. <strong>to</strong> r.): Casino Direc<strong>to</strong>r Reinhard Deiring, Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> Poker Manager Edgar Stuchly, Architect<br />
Michael Manzenreiter and Construction Contrac<strong>to</strong>r Markus Spiegelfeld; 4. Heinz Dobcak (Croupier Casino Baden) with Ines Benisch (Marketing Service & Sponsoring)<br />
1<br />
Events | report ’08
eport ’08 | Supervisory Board<br />
SUPERVISORY BOARD<br />
Walter Ro<strong>the</strong>nsteiner<br />
President, Direc<strong>to</strong>r General<br />
(Chairman)<br />
Günter Geyer<br />
Vice President, Direc<strong>to</strong>r General<br />
(2 nd Deputy Chairman)<br />
State Commissioners<br />
Under-Secretary Alfred Lejsek<br />
Alfred Katterl<br />
Franz Philipp Sutter<br />
Members of <strong>the</strong> Supervisory Board<br />
Vice Governor, Wolfgang Duchatczek<br />
Supervisory Board Report<br />
In its meetings, <strong>the</strong> Supervisory Board continued <strong>to</strong> perform <strong>the</strong> functions incumbent upon it pursuant<br />
<strong>to</strong> statu<strong>to</strong>ry provisions and <strong>the</strong> Articles of Association. The Board of Direc<strong>to</strong>rs provided regular reports<br />
on <strong>the</strong> current business situation. The Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> AG annual financial statements and management<br />
report were audited by <strong>the</strong> official audi<strong>to</strong>rs appointed at <strong>the</strong> Annual General Meeting on 4 April 2008,<br />
BDO Auxilia Treuhand Gesellschaft m.b.H. and KPMG <strong>Austria</strong> Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft m.b.H. This<br />
audit raised no grounds for objection. The audi<strong>to</strong>rs have <strong>the</strong>refore confirmed that <strong>the</strong> Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> AG<br />
annual financial statements and management report comply with statu<strong>to</strong>ry provisions. The Supervisory<br />
Board confirms that it concurs with <strong>the</strong> Board of Direc<strong>to</strong>rs’ management report and <strong>the</strong> proposed distribution<br />
of profits and that it formally approves <strong>the</strong> Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> AG annual financial statements, which<br />
are hereby adopted pursuant <strong>to</strong> Section 125 of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Austria</strong>n S<strong>to</strong>ck Corporation Act (Aktiengesetz). Fur<strong>the</strong>rmore,<br />
<strong>the</strong> Supervisory Board recommends that said audit firms, BDO Auxilia Treuhand Gesellschaft<br />
m.b.H. and KPMG <strong>Austria</strong> Wirtschaftsprüfungsgesellschaft m.b.H., also be appointed audi<strong>to</strong>rs for <strong>the</strong><br />
2009 business year at <strong>the</strong> Annual General Meeting.<br />
The Supervisory Board<br />
Walter Ro<strong>the</strong>nsteiner (Chairman)<br />
Vienna, 27 March 2009<br />
Dietmar Spranz<br />
Vice President, Direc<strong>to</strong>r General<br />
(1 st Deputy Chairman)<br />
until April 2008<br />
Maria Theresia Bablik<br />
Vice President<br />
(3 rd Deputy Chairman)<br />
Direc<strong>to</strong>r General, Helmut Jonas<br />
Direc<strong>to</strong>r General, Konstantin Klien<br />
Direc<strong>to</strong>r, Gerald Neuber<br />
At<strong>to</strong>rney-at-Law, Thomas Schröfl<br />
President (ret.), Adolf Wala<br />
Direc<strong>to</strong>r Peter Zöllner<br />
Kurt Meyer<br />
Vice President, Direc<strong>to</strong>r General<br />
(1 st Deputy Chairman)<br />
from April 2008<br />
Leo Wallner<br />
Vice President<br />
(4 th Deputy Chairman)<br />
Representatives of <strong>the</strong> Central Works Council<br />
Jürgen Nachbaur (Works Council Chairman),<br />
Dieter Löw, Christian Holz, Peter Löb (until April<br />
2008), Manfred Schönbauer, Maciej Turkiewicz<br />
(until April 2008), Christian Hampejs (from April<br />
2008), Werner Lieber (from April 2008)<br />
Company and<br />
Consolidated<br />
Financial Statements 2008 | report ’08<br />
Financial Statements<br />
2008<br />
| 84 | | 85 |
eport ’08 | Financial Statements 2008<br />
Financial Statements as at 31 December 2008 - Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> AG<br />
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2008<br />
ASSETS EUR EUR<br />
A. Long Term Assets<br />
2007<br />
in TEUR<br />
I. Intangible assets<br />
1. Concessions and o<strong>the</strong>r rights 6,075,475.11 7,684<br />
2. Advance payments 351,360.00 0<br />
6,426,835.11 7,684<br />
II. Tangible assets<br />
1. Property, coincident rights and buildings, including buildings<br />
on third party property, <strong>the</strong>reof property EUR 7,036,803.41<br />
(31.12.2007; TEUR 2,322)<br />
12,480,678.07 8,010<br />
2. O<strong>the</strong>r equipment, fixtures, furniture and office equipment 37,619,910.29 39,690<br />
3. Advance payments and construction in progress 520,034.50 542<br />
50,620,622.86 48,242<br />
III. Financial assets<br />
1. Investments in affiliated companies 456,722,601.72 492,592<br />
2. Investments in o<strong>the</strong>r companies 255,222.23 211<br />
3. Long-term securities 9,765,242.83 10,911<br />
4. O<strong>the</strong>r loans 581,995.92 680<br />
467,325,062.70 504,394<br />
524,372,520.67 560,320<br />
B. Current Assets<br />
I. Receivables and o<strong>the</strong>r current assets<br />
1. Accounts receivable – trade 795,050.43 2,133<br />
2. Accounts receivable – affiliated companies 7,106,305.13 1,832<br />
3. O<strong>the</strong>r receivables and assets 44,650,598.72 2,680<br />
52,551,954.28 6,645<br />
II. Cash on hand and in banks, checks 22,845,625.56 26,364<br />
75,397,579.84 33,009<br />
C. Prepaid Expenses 2,433,080.14 3,008<br />
602,203,180.65 596,337<br />
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 2008<br />
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY EUR EUR<br />
Financial Statements 2008 | report ’08<br />
| 86 | | 87 |<br />
A. Equity<br />
2007<br />
in TEUR<br />
I. Capital s<strong>to</strong>ck<br />
II. Reserves from retained earnings<br />
40,000,000.00 40,000<br />
1. Legal reserves 4,000,000.00 4,000<br />
2. O<strong>the</strong>r reserves (voluntary reserves) 30,600,000.00 23,250<br />
34,600,000.00 27,250<br />
III. Balance sheet profit, <strong>the</strong>reof profit brought forward from previous<br />
year EUR 2,828,825.44 (31.12.2007: TEUR 223)<br />
5,638,402.26 8,429<br />
80,238,402.26 75,679<br />
B. Provisions<br />
1. Provision for severance payments 17,588,002.00 15,325<br />
2. Provision for pensions 16,120,700.00 16,535<br />
3. O<strong>the</strong>r provisions 18,049,475.84 21,707<br />
51,758,177.84 53,567<br />
C. Liabilities<br />
1. Bonds 150,000,000.00 0<br />
2. Bank loans and overdrafts 169,580,052.08 171,980<br />
3. Accounts payable – trade 10,230,942.05 9,064<br />
4. Accounts payable – affiliated companies 60,280,326.15 57,615<br />
5. Accounts payable – associated companies 952,248.35 1,317<br />
6. O<strong>the</strong>r payables, <strong>the</strong>reof taxes EUR 18,144,768.99 (31.12.2007:<br />
TEUR 18,099), <strong>the</strong>reof social security EUR 3,279,389.82<br />
(31.12.2007: TEUR 3,087)<br />
76,064,962.70 223,844<br />
467,108,531.33 463,820<br />
D. Deferred Income 3,098,069.22 3,271<br />
602,203,180.65 596,337<br />
Contingent liabilities 61,836.97 63
eport ’08 | Financial Statements 2008<br />
Income Statement for 2008 - Casinos <strong>Austria</strong> AG<br />
INCOME STATEMENT FOR 2008<br />
EUR EUR<br />
2007<br />
in TEUR<br />
1. Gross gaming revenues 281,100,040.15 277,201<br />
2. Gaming taxes and o<strong>the</strong>r gaming related taxes -108,735,338.56 -107,547<br />
3. Net gaming revenues 172,364,701.59 169,654<br />
4. O<strong>the</strong>r operating income<br />
5. Personnel expenses<br />
10,976,169.98 11,936<br />
a) Wages -7,059,783.39 -6,895<br />
b) Salaries -70,960,763.04 -71,824<br />
c) Expenses for severance payments -3,485,921.99 -2,027<br />
d) Expenses for pensions -12,789,947.63 -10,367<br />
e) Social security costs and payroll-related taxes -20,598,121.74 -19,695<br />
f) O<strong>the</strong>r expenses for employee benefits -1,248,674.25 -1,144<br />
-116,143,212.04 -111,952<br />
6. Depreciation, amortization<br />
7. O<strong>the</strong>r operating expenses<br />
-11,583,843.44 -10,717<br />
a) Taxes not included in items 2 and 18 -201,173.21 -155<br />
b) O<strong>the</strong>r expenses -63,734,806.65 -63,763<br />
-63,935,979.86 -63,918<br />
8. Operating result = sub-<strong>to</strong>tal items 1 <strong>to</strong> 7 -8,322,163.77 -4,997<br />
INCOME STATEMENT FOR 2008<br />
9. Income from investments, <strong>the</strong>reof affiliated companies<br />
EUR 33,099,269.78 (2007: TEUR 22,308)<br />
EUR EUR<br />
Financial Statements 2008 | report ’08<br />
| 88 | | 89 |<br />
2007<br />
in TEUR<br />
33,133,587.79 22,437<br />
10. Interest income of long term investments and loans 703,197.08 751<br />
11. O<strong>the</strong>r interest income and similar income 701,561,41 455<br />
12. Income from <strong>the</strong> disposal and write-up of financial assets 81,303.08 0<br />
13. Expenses from financial assets<br />
a) Depreciation of financial assets EUR 1,146,000.00 (2007: TEUR 484)<br />
b) O<strong>the</strong>r expenses – financial assets and temporary investments<br />
EUR 1,748,590.40 (2007: TEUR 2,237)<br />
14. Interest and similar charges, <strong>the</strong>reof affiliated companies<br />
EUR 4,083,435.08 (2007: TEUR 1,518)<br />
-2,894,590.40 -2,722<br />
-18,775,038.37 -1,596<br />
15. Financial result = sub-<strong>to</strong>tal items 9 <strong>to</strong> 14 12,950,020.59 19,325<br />
16. Profit on ordinary activities 4,627,856.82 14,328<br />
17. Extraordinary result 0.00 -9,795<br />
18. Income taxes 5,531,720.00 3,673<br />
19. Net income after taxes 10,159,576.82 8,206<br />
20. Allocation <strong>to</strong> reserves from retained earnings<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r reserves (voluntary reserves) -7,350,000.00 0<br />
21. Annual income 2,809,576.82 8,206<br />
22. Profit brought forward from previous year 2,828,825.44 223<br />
23. Balance sheet profit 5,638,402.26 8,429
eport ’08 | Financial Statements 2008<br />
Consolidated Income Statement for 2008 Consolidated Balance Sheet as at 31 December 2008<br />
CONSOLIDATED INCOME STATEMENT FOR 2008<br />
2008<br />
in EUR<br />
2007<br />
in TEUR<br />
Sales 2,960,054,734.60 2,642,825<br />
Lottery and sports betting payouts -1,774,207,947.28 -1,511,489<br />
Gross gaming revenues 1,185,846,787.32 1,131,336<br />
Gaming taxes and o<strong>the</strong>r taxes -576,983,254.21 -552,917<br />
Net gaming revenues 608,863,533.11 578,419<br />
O<strong>the</strong>r operating income 69,367,809.25 47,445<br />
Personnel expenses -273,635,479.40 -256,654<br />
Depreciation and amortization -50,880,772.35 -44,043<br />
O<strong>the</strong>r operating expenses -316,178,525.79 -301,621<br />
Income from associated companies 24,172,816.98 33,093<br />
Operating result before restructuring expenses 61,709,381.80 56,639<br />
Restructuring expenses -4,000,000.00 -6,990<br />
Operating result 57,709,381.80 49,649<br />
Financial income 15,591,686.52 14,781<br />
Financial expenses -42,188,806.03 -23,598<br />
Financial result -26,597,119.51 -8,817<br />
Profit before taxes 31,112,262.29 40,832<br />
Income taxes 3,821,895.31 519<br />
Net income 34,934,157.60 41,351<br />
Attributable <strong>to</strong> equity holders of <strong>the</strong> parent 20,260,193.92 26,809<br />
Attributable <strong>to</strong> minority interest 14,673,963.68 14,542<br />
34,934,157.60 41,351<br />
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEET AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2008<br />
Financial Statements 2008 | report ’08<br />
| 90 | | 91 |<br />
ASSETS<br />
31.12.2008<br />
in EUR<br />
31.12.2007<br />
in TEUR<br />
Cash assets 172,403,533.58 150,628<br />
Financial assets 12,775,726.22 47,460<br />
Receivables and o<strong>the</strong>r assets 120,461,452.10 63,060<br />
Total Current Assets 305,640,711.90 261,148<br />
Tangible assets 282,703,769.30 315,449<br />
Investment property 25,400,000.00 0<br />
Goodwill 283,964,736.12 281,450<br />
O<strong>the</strong>r intangible assets 46,875,529.20 66,767<br />
Investments in associated companies 156,204,974.27 163,614<br />
O<strong>the</strong>r financial assets 184,426,240.25 192,021<br />
Deferred tax assets 16,434,904.21 13,957<br />
O<strong>the</strong>r long-term assets 3,117,009.24 4,992<br />
Total Non-Current Assets 999,127,162.59 1,038,250<br />
Total ASSETS 1,304,767,874.49 1,299,398<br />
LIABILITIES AND EQUITY<br />
Short-term loans 86,560,884.87 53,709<br />
Trade payables 22,189,649.78 22,733<br />
Provisions 68,095,179.85 68,053<br />
Tax liabilities 56,793,832.37 61,004<br />
O<strong>the</strong>r current liabilities 148,921,490.74 276,223<br />
Total Current Liabilities 382,561,037.61 481,722<br />
Long-term loans 611,747,879.51 498,518<br />
Provisions for employee entitlements 58,922,973.00 54,356<br />
Provisions for deferred taxes 10,892,402.03 11,195<br />
O<strong>the</strong>r long-term provisions 3,547,935.80 2,148<br />
O<strong>the</strong>r long-term liabilities 39,916,374.52 41,502<br />
Total Non-Current Liabilities 725,027,564.86 607,719<br />
Share capital 40,000,000.00 40,000<br />
O<strong>the</strong>r reserves and retained earnings 89,943,743.64 73,036<br />
Revaluation reserves 16,853,350.16 0<br />
Unrealized losses on financial instruments -1,276,500.00 0<br />
Foreign currency translation adjustment -27,964,227.32 -8,611<br />
117,556,366.48 104,425<br />
Minority interest 79,622,905.54 105,532<br />
Total Equity 197,179,272.02 209,957<br />
Total LIABILITIES AND EQUITY 1,304,767,874.49 1,299,398
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