Genting loses to Jocs for new casino in Andorra

This past May, Genting announced that it was hoping to win a license for a casino to be built in the Spanish region of Andorra. 13 casino operators submitted bids, and Genting entered one of the highest – $164.6 million. Unfortunately, while the money was good, Genting’s construction proposal was not, and the company lost to another bidder.

Genting was disqualified from the bidding process over issues surrounding its purported ability to secure the land where it hoped to build. The company had proposed a $162.8 million, 20-story tower, and Andorra was concerned that it had not proven that the land was already secured. Genting can challenge the decision if it so chooses.

The company who won the casino rights is Jocs SA. Jocs is a company already based in Andorra that has a technology alliance with Novomatic AG, a gaming equipment manufacturer out of Austria. The proposal by Jocs would include a six-story building – of which two would be built underground – at a price of $17.5 million (€15 million).

While the decision was certainly a little disappointing to Genting, it still has other possibilities. The company currently has operations in several parts of Asia, including the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore, and in the US, the UK, the Bahamas and Egypt. It also operates casino cruise ships through its Genting Hong Kong subsidiary. The company plans on launching several new vessels between now and 2021.