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Russian Legal Casino Zone Begins Operation
MOSCOW, RUSSIA --
Six months after a national moratorium on all casino gambling began, Russia has opened its first casino inside one of its designated legal gambling zones. The Oracle Casino, located in the southern part of the country about 60 miles from Rostov, began gambling operations Saturday under inauspicious circumstances.
Only about 500 people were in attendance for the casino's opening, and as few as 100 were estimated to be gambling. The gaming consisted of 200 slot machines and 10 table games, contained in a tin shed.
Whereas gaming was proliferating throughout Moscow before the ban, now it is legally limited to the remote zones drawn up to allow casino resorts. Gambling operators spoke out against the policy, saying that thousands of jobs would be lost, and black market gambling would prosper as few would travel to desolate areas to wager.
Oracle Casino officials say they plan on building an exclusive hotel this summer, and that they believe Russians will soon flock to the distant site for vacations and entertainment.
"We hope that a lot of people will be drawn to us in the near future," stated casino marketing director Valery Saparin. He noted that within four months of today, the casino "expects to have up to 500 visitors daily."
While Russian officials are spinning the casino's opening to be a big success, comparison numbers with the recent opening of Las Vegas Sands' Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, casino are startling. Oracle gaming executives may hope to build a crowd of 500 daily; Bethlehem had 60,000 visitors its first three days.
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