Newest satellite casino evacuated
A satellite casino in the Cyprus resort town of Ayia Napa had to evacuate its premises after receiving a hoax bomb threat.
This is the newest of three satellite casinos operating in the country. It has only been open for business since July 15.
Police are speculating that it might be someone who has incurred significant gambling losses
There is no definitive motive for this threat. Police are speculating that it might be someone who has incurred significant gambling losses, or a disgruntled former employee of the parent company.
According to the Cyprus Mail, the threat was issued on August 18 at 12:45am, reporting that there was a bomb on the premises. The call was made to the Ayia Napa Police Station. The entire venue was evacuated and a complete search was carried out by the relevant authorities. However, no device or suspicious object was found.
No device found
Patrons were then allowed to re-enter the premises and to continue with their gambling or other activities. There is an ongoing investigation underway to try and identify who may be behind this hoax bomb call.
There was no lasting impact from this threat on how the casino operates and their bottom line was not significantly hurt. Melco Entertainment owns and operates the three satellite casinos on the island. They also operate the main temporary casino on the island in Limassol.
These casinos have been popular since opening over the past year or so, with more than one million visitors gambling at one of the four casinos.
Burgeoning casino sector
The burgeoning casino scene in Cyprus is helping to improve the local gambling sector. The country is already a popular destination for tourists and this adds another level of interest for those looking to go on a vacation that incorporates gambling.
The Limassol temporary casino will be in operation until the City of Dreams Mediterranean casino resort finishes devolvement. This casino should open its doors at some stage in 2021. While the initial plan was to open in the middle of the year, the deadline has since been moved to later in the year.
Melco Entertainment is pulling out all of the stops to make this a top-quality casino destination in Europe. This casino will have over 1,000 slot machines and 100 table games. There will also be a hotel with 500 rooms and numerous entertainment and relaxation facilities.
