However, the streets with a good commercial position have become appealing for several operators of gambling halls, so that each district of large cities has seen at least two-three halls emerge, competing for spaces with banks and drugstores. The crisis fallout and some possible legislative changes will instil some rationale in this market that seemed to know no ending. ”Shall we bring the equipment from Adjud today?

Is there any room left for them in the warehouse?”, an employee asked the commercial officer of Ritzio gambling hall operator several weeks ago. More than 500 slots have been put out of use from Million electronic casinos since the start of the year in a bid to adjust a business that grew in a very short period of time to the demands of the current market. The Million electronic casinos were brought to Romania in 2005 from the Russians of Ritzio and in 2008 became a market leader in terms of the number of halls and number of slots (over 4,500).

Like the other major gambling hall operators, Max Bet, Admiral, City Casinos, Ritzio is also forced to renounce part of the halls it opened last year in the wake of investments worth above $75m (54m euros). The economic downturn and a series of legislative changes that will again burden casinos with heavier taxation are likely to once again give a new shape to Romania’s casino market. The market had another boom before, in the ‘90s, but in the first half of 2000 some Fiscal Code changes put most electronic games halls out of business. In 2005 a tough raid by ANAF led to the closedown of the biggest casinos in the country.

In 2006-2007, there was milder legislation, revenues registered significant growth and Romania this time became attractive for major international groups in the gambling industry.

While there had been no gambling market, the live casino market had existed, but had stagnated for many years. This latter market also reawakened in 2007 and came to include 23 units countrywide.

Last year’s big rents were among the main reasons why many gambling hall operators have had to resize their strategy.