CASINOS AUSTRIA CELEBRATES ITS 70TH BIRTHDAY
SOURCE: OBER STERREICHISCHE NACHRICHTEN
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Casinos Austria Celebrates 70th Birthday
In 1934, the first casinos were opened in Baden, Salzburg and Kitzbhel.
Casinos Austria is celebrating its 70th Birthday tomorrow, Tuesday, with a large evening reception in Baden-bei-Wien. It was there, in mid-April 1924, that the roulette ball first started rolling in Austria.
There were 17 competitors for the Casino Licence in the 1930s. One group in the running was sterreichische Casino AG, which come into being on the 3rd of January, 1934.
"The Original" Baden Casino
The Kurhaus (Spa) in Baden was then modified and on the 12th of April was opened as a casino, with 6 double roulette tables and five Baccarat tables. In 1934, casinos began operations in Salzburg and Kitzbhel.
In October of 1933, an ordinance from the Ministry of Finance gave the Federation the sole right to develop casinos and games at spa resorts. With that, the authorisation of casinos was possible, when they "served to maintain or promote foreign visitors".
Up to that point, people were rather skeptical, on moral grounds, about the establishment of casinos on the lines of those in Monte Carlo or Germany casinos.
At first, casino employees were professionals from exisiting Belgium casinos, France casinos or Italy casinos. From 1935 onwards, Austrian croupiers were trained. Guests could only play if they were over 21.
In the early stages, local casinos were only reserved for foreign guests. From 1935, the gaming rooms were opened to the Austrian public.
In the 1960s, the casino market changed its orientation. In 1967 sterreichische Spielbanken AG was founded, whose name was changed to Casinos Austria AG in 1985.
The new company, under the strict economic guidance of Leo Wallner, its long-time CEO, gave gambling an economic and social dimension, which laid the foundation for its present acceptance
The establishment of further casinos in Austria and, through subsidiaries, also casinos abroad.
Twelve Casinos in Austria
Casinos Austria currently operates twelve casinos throughout Austria. Most recently, Casino Innsbruck was opened in 1992.
The casino group is also active abroad, with casinos in Australia, North and South America, South Africa, India and Palestine. To date, around 180 casinos have been set up on 25 countries
Even abroad, the group currently operates 54 land-based casinos and 13 further casino ships. In Australia, the subsidiary company CAIL is listed on the Sydney Stock Exchange.
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