Barrière consolidates its position as leading casino company in France with six casinos in the Top 10
Following the issue of French casino ratings for Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR), the Barrière Group, a leading player in the casino sector in France and Europe, has consolidated its position with six of its 27 French casinos in the top 10 (Casinos Barrière Enghien-les-Bains, Blotzheim, Bordeaux, Toulouse, Deauville and Lille) and has seen a significant increase in visitor numbers. Casinos Barrière are the Group’s number one business area for turnover (75.5% for the 2019 tax year ending 31st October).
These figures are the result of a proactive Group strategy, with increased investment in gaming. Despite complex social and economic conditions (the increase in the CSG social security contribution 2 years ago), Barrière – headed by Dominique Desseigne – has redoubled its initiatives and innovations, including the regular diversification of its slot machines and electronic games, new game testing, an increasingly proactive targeted marketing strategy and an ever-changing programme of lively events.
The new “Carré VIP” loyalty programme is a clear success and the roll-out continues: over 50% of turnover is now achieved through cardholders, enjoying numerous benefits offered by the Group to thank them for their loyalty.
In order to attract new clients, especially a younger clientele, Barrière organises and hosts the Barrière Esport Tour, fun and innovative shows that attract the biggest digital influencers in France.
For 18 years in a row, Casino Barrière Enghien-les-Bains has held its position at the top of the ratings, achieving GGR of over 160 million euros. For the coming year, it plans to continue investing in new concepts, including the creation of a high-end gaming table room.
Casino Barrière Blotzheim maintains its number 2 position for the second consecutive year, with a GGR in excess of 50 million euros.
To maintain their advance and continue offering a quality client experience, four Casinos Barrière - located in Toulouse, Blotzheim, Saint-Raphaël and Carry-le-Rouet – will be carrying out renovation and expansion work in 2020. This investment is a reflection of the Group’s desire to beef up its offering, in terms of both gaming (new slot machines and electronic games) and catering (new bars and restaurants, terraces and smoking areas etc.).
“At a time when there have never been as many options for entertainment on offer, it is gratifying to see that casinos are still really popular with the French. Our family-owned and managed Group saw over 9.5 million visits to our Casinos in 2019. This level of popularity clearly shows that, more than ever, casinos are places that bring different generations together: fun and friendly places, with over 3,500 shows and events on offer every year,” said Dominique Desseigne, CEO of Barrière.
Finally, Barrière celebrated the 1oth anniversary of Responsible Gaming in 2019 – its innovative national programme devoted to information and preventing the risks of excessive gambling for its casinos in France. Responsible Gaming mainly consists of a network of experts and a unique system: VLA or Voluntary Limited Access. This allows clients to choose a maximum number of visits over a set period across all of the Group’s casinos. The system consolidates the initiatives that the Group has been trialling for over 10 years.
