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It’s been one week since casinos officially closed their doors in Moscow and the Moscow Times is reporting that 95 percent have complied with the new law.
However, one industry player told the paper he did not expect a boom in poker which remains legal in licensed clubs.
Erik Shakhbazyan, CEO of Poker Style Group, told the paper he was skeptical of the notion that gamblers would switch to poker en masse.
“Of course new players will come to poker who used to go to casinos, but not a big number,” said Shakhbazyan. “Poker is a more intellectual game. To play slot machines, you don’t need to know anything.”
Shakhbazyan, whose company broadcasts a twice weekly poker show on the Sport channel said ratings for the show were on the up. Television is “one of the best ways to market poker,” he said and ratings were “very good”.
Elsewhere London casino, Les Ambassadeurs Club, is trying to attract Moscow’s high-rollers by offering them $8,000 packages to fly from Moscow to London by private jet to gamble. Spokesman for the club, James Black, told the Moscow Times, “Obviously, with the casino closures in Moscow, those who want to play roulette and traditional casino games can be interested. We’re happy if the big players from Moscow want to come.”
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