Operator News
France – Socofinance planning to reopen Clichy-Montmartre as a new style gaming club
By Phil - 27 January 2019
The former Clichy-Montmartre circle in Paris could be transformed into one of the new style gaming clubs with Socofinance taking control of the establishment and its 175 members of staff.
Having sold the Gujan-Mestras casino in Gironde to the Joa Groupe, in February 2018, Frédérique Ruggieri, President of Socofinance, said the goal was to reinvest in Paris ‘in a gaming club.’ Ms. Ruggieri is now waiting for ministerial authorisation to reopen Clichy-Montmartre, which was closed on September 26, following an indictment for money laundering, breach of trust and criminal activity. Six officials were arrested including Luc Richard, one of the leaders of the venue, bringing the curtain down on the last circle still active in the capital. The judicial administrator in charge of the Clichy-Montmartre Circle case, Béatrice Dunogué-Gaffié, seems optimistic and has issued a call for applications for the resumption of gaming activity. She explained that Ms. Ruggieri is well known in the gaming industry and arrives with her team and the former workforce with the intention of creating a gaming club like those she created in the south-west.
Elsewhere in France, two casinos have recently seen their licences renewed.
In Haute-Saône, in eastern France, the council has renewed the Jo Grioupe’s licence for its casino in Luxeuil-les-Bains c. Its 15-year public service delegation was due to end on March 31. The next concession contract is for 20 years.
Joa said it plans to build a bowling alley next to the casino and to take care of the cinema activity of the city, which takes place within the Espace Molière, a building adjoining the casino. The Luxeuil les Bains casino is ranked 70th out of 201 French casinos, with GGR of €10.9m.
The city council of Fouras in Charente-Maritime in the south west of France has renewed the operating licence of Emeraude group for another seven years. The operator plans to repair the street lighting in the car park, the external terraces and renovate the facades. Casino Fouras is ranked 142nd out of 201 French casinos at the end of the 2016 to 2017 fiscal year, generating GGR of €4.4m, up 13.09 per cent compared to the previous year.
