BERN - On April 1, the bandits must have disappeared from the cafes and gaming centers in Switzerland. They will be replaced with slot machines offering games of skill. But farmers expect a significant loss of earnings. The law on gambling, which came into force on 1 April 2000, prohibits gambling outside of casinos for the benefit of a concession. A transitional period of five years, however, was scheduled for the continued operation of slot machines in public schools, where the limit was five aircraft. This deadline expires on Thursday. So as of Friday, about 6,000 slot machines will have been disconnected cafes and gaming halls of the thirteen districts that have authorized (AG, AI, AR, BE, FR, GL, LU, NW, OW, SH, BT, UR , ZG), said the Federal Gaming Board (CFMJ). They will be replaced by slot machines games of skill, such as video games and pinball reaction. Many farmers took advantage until the last moment of time allotted to them. It was only Wednesday that the company Escor began to decommission its 1,100 slot machines, said its director Norbert Mauron. Proms, however, has already replaced a slot on both, as its director Christian Blanquet. In Switzerland, industry automata generates a turnover ...

Noirétable dream of becoming a fashionable resort with the casino to open in July 2005. The wheel is about to turn Noirétable. This town nestled in the heart of black wood between Drill and Auvergne, obtained permission from the Ministry of Interior to open a casino. Its status as resort, awarded in 1930 enabled him to create such an institution as well as spas or resorts smartest. But none had elected to give thought to play before 1998. A "person" had indeed asked the mayor in 1994. Unanswered. It was not until the election in 1995 of a new municipal team and a new request to generate interest and communal ... operators. Many groups, not least, responded to the call for tenders launched by Noirétable: the European Casino Partouche , Accor ... But for fear of freezing their site by these companies, already well established in the region, politicians have preferred to rely on a "small". The leaders of the Casino du Golfe de Cavalaire and have won the jackpot for ten years. To them to grow their original investment: six million euros. More than local taxes! According to market research, the casino Noirétable could be attended by 600 people a day, three ...

The General Meeting of Groupe Partouche is scheduled April 26. It will be voted on including the appointment of Hubert Benhamou supervisory board, according to the change of management announced in early February. In the report of the Management Board which will be presented at the AGM, Group Partouche an update on its prospects. The operator of casino gaming said that the activity level of 2005 (commenced on 1 November 2004), already penalized by the increase in CSG occurring on or after 1 January 2005 (from 7.5% to 9 , 5%), remains uncertain in view of the slowdown in year-end 2004 and confirmed in early 2005. To help boost business, and beyond animation renewed efforts on the holdings, Groupe Partouche can count on endowments of additional slot machines in the schools of Port-Barcarès La Trinite-sur-mer Nice and Le Havre. Since the beginning of the year, 120 machines have already been approved for casinos Plombières (+30 units), La Ciotat (20 units), St Amand-les-Eaux (+50 units) and Vichy (+20 units) . Groupe Partouche also recalls the recent opening (26 February 2005) the casino in Port la Nouvelle (Languedoc-Roussillon) and the transfer of the casino-Barbotan Cazaubon (Gers) March 22, 2005. Finally, Group Partouche participate in tenders of ...

Within the Accor group of casinos and Family Desseigne Barrier, Groupe Lucien Barrière introduced as planned on its proposed takeover of the securities of the Société des Hôtels et Casinos de Deauville (SHCD) at a price of 441.1 Euros per share. The Groupe Lucien Barrière SAS holds 1,074,819 shares SHCD or 88.61% of capital and irrevocably undertakes to acquire all shares not owned SHCD.

(AP) - The AMF was seized Friday in a proposed public offering simplified purchase shares of Hotels and Casino de Deauville (SHCD). This project was introduced by Societe Generale acting on behalf of Groupe Lucien Barrière SAS (formerly known as Hospitality Corporation Chain Lucien Barriere ). On December 17, 2004, the family Desseigne Barrier, Accor and U.S. investment fund Colony Capital have met, their interests in (i) the Company of the hotel chain Lucien Barriere whose capital was owned full-family Desseigne barrier, (ii) Accor Casinos whose capital was divided equally between Accor and Colace (through ColEven) and (iii) whose family SHCD Desseigne Barrier held 53.7% and 34.9% Accor capital. This merger took the form of transfer for the benefit of the Company of the hotel chain Lucien Barrière by way of contribution and assignment by Colony Capital and Accor Accor Casinos in their interests by way of contribution by the family Desseigne Barrier its participation in SHCD and finally, by means of subscription and assignment of Accor's stake in SHCD. The recovery action for restraint SHCD contribution made by the family Desseigne Barrier and Accor as well as the transfer price charged by Accor, has been established at 441.057 euros. Following the ...

Swiss casinos in 2004 saw more than 4 million visitors and earnings of 769 million francs, or 37 percent more than last year. Of this amount, 316 million was paid into the coffers of the AVS and 54 million in the cantons where these gambling establishments. With over 4 million visitors, Swiss casinos have improved their attendance last year of a million people. Satisfied, the Swiss Casino (FSC) discussed Tuesday at Bern's political concerns. "In a very short time, Switzerland has become a 'country in casinos', welcomed Censi Adriano, chairman of the FSC. The FSC has also welcomed the establishment of common standards in casinos in October 2004 for the prevention and early detection of clients showing problematic gambling behavior. Last year, the casinos have delivered about 3500 exclusions, bringing the total number of excluded in 9700. On the other hand, according to Adriano Censi, the Law on gambling has already been bypassed. For him, lottery machines in bars and restaurants such as "Tactilo" and speaking the equivalent "Touchlot" distort competition. Mid-June 2004, the Federal Commission for Gaming (CFMJ) declared a moratorium on installing new equipment, the time to determine if they are slot machines and if they fall, thus , within the scope of a ban. ...

TOULOUSE (AP) - The mayor of Toulouse Jean-Luc Moudenc announced Tuesday in the press have chosen the company for hotels and casinos in Deauville, a subsidiary of Lucien Barrière casinos to operate the future of Toulouse. The final decision must be ratified by the council in early May before the casino operators do not file an application to open with the Ministry of Interior. The site chosen was that of the old school of chemistry ENSIACET destroyed by the explosion of the AZF factory September 21, 2001. It should welcome from the new casino in April 2007 from Toulouse. With a total area of ??14,000 square meters, the casino will generate 400 jobs Toulouse. It will include a game room of 20 tables, a room of 400 to 600 slot machines and a theater of 1,200 seats. The estimated cost is 55 million euros and will be funded entirely by the Groupe Barrière .

The operator of casino gaming group Partouche was not selected for the operation of future casino Toulouse. Groupe Partouche participated in the tender as well as Lille and Blotzheim, for which the selection of the concessionaire is expected shortly. The municipality of Toulouse would have preferred the group Lucien Barriere . To help boost its activities in 2005, Groupe Partouche can also count on endowments of expected additional slot machines in schools of Port-Barcarès La Trinite-sur-Mer, Le Havre and Nice. Since the beginning of fiscal year 2004-2005, 120 machines have already been approved for casinos Plombières (+30 units), La Ciotat (20 units), St Amand-les-Eaux (+50 units) and Vichy (+ 20 units).

Loto-Quebec and its French partner Tahoe escaped a major contract worth approximately CAN $ 88 million to build and operate a casino in Toulouse, which is scheduled to open in two years. The city has instead chosen the tender of a partnership among the three finalists Deauville. In an interview with the Journal de Montreal ", the spokesperson for Loto-Quebec, Jean-Pierre Roy, admitted disappointment but the company has recognized the quality of competing bidders. A breakthrough on French soil is still possible for Loto-Quebec: a proposed casino operator in Lille.

The Bordeaux Administrative Court suspended the implementation of the decision of Interior Minister Dominique de Villepin, who had refused permission in January to open the casino Gujan-Mestras (Gironde), said on Friday judicial source. In its ruling Thursday, the TA "directing the Minister of the Interior to review" within three months, the application for authorization by the company's casino in Lake Magdalene. On 7 January, the minister had "refused a permit to operate games in the casino company. This is the reason for the local supply of existing games that permission had been refused to open. Moreover, the state must pay the casino 1,000 euro for reimbursement of costs of the trial. "Now we have one goal: to open as quickly as possible and finally work as it's been almost a year since we expect the opening of this facility," he told AFP, a member of association for the right to work of employees of the casino. Thirteen dealers and other professionals of the games have signed contracts for pre-employment with the casino but are unemployed for months for lack of authorization to open.