Andriy Matiukha, an owner of several casinos in Croatia, said that one key difference between Asians and Europeans is their attitude to gambling: in Asia it’s an indispensable part of the culture.
According to data from the eVisitor system, Croatia is one of the most fast-growing destinations for American tourists. For the first 11 months of 2018, there was a 23% growth in arrivals, while overnight stays increased by 18%, compared to the same period in the previous year.
As Matiukha explained, drawing on his 20-years experience in this area: “They say if you do not recover value in the Middle East in two years, the investment is considered unsuccessful, but here is the European style.”
“Those who do not gamble are considered strange for Asians,” told Matiukha to Croatian Novac.hr. “It’s just normal for people to gamble. Croats are still far from such habits though.” But despite this, he wants to develop a casino business in this part of Europe.
A 46-year-old Ukrainian entrepreneur now lives with his family in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, where he moved from Kyiv about a year ago. For now, Matiukha owns a couple of business assets: the Diamond Palace Casino in Zagreb and the Magic Night Club with the Casino Crystal Palace restaurant in the city of Rijeka.
However, he is not intending to rest on his laurels. In June, another large casino of more than 1000 square meters will open its doors to visitors in Split, the ancient port of Croatia and the second largest city of the country.
“This will be our third major casino in Croatia: one in Zagreb, Rijeka, and Split. In the near future, we are ready to launch several modern slot machines in Zelina, Zadar, Osijek and Makarska,” he announced.
The businessman is also considering some more ideas for the future; such as the opening of amusement parks in Istria, Dalmatia and near Zagreb. These are not related to the gambling industry; rather, they are closely related to entertainment, as well as to the hotel business.
He added: “We aim to develop everything that is connected with fun because gambling is fun”.
As Matiuha said, Croatia is slightly different from other European countries in terms of how specific business ideas develop. “In Georgia and Singapore things are going very fast, but in Europe, the situation is the same everywhere. My business partners who are building a hotel in London told me they needed two and a half years to resolve the bureaucracy, but it seems to me that it is worse than in Croatia,” he noticed.
In addition to business assets in Croatia, Matiukha has a sports betting company FavBet. It has no license in Croatia for now, but it is in the process of adapting to the local market. Matiukha is sure that FavBet will have an online casino license by next year, and so it will be possible to bet online all the time.
Known worldwide for its sophisticated cultural background, China is also synonymous with the fame of these popular gambling games: pai gow and Chinese poker. In the Central Kingdom, these two touchstones of poker have steadily expanded all over the gambling world. It’s important to note that it’s the United States where the game of pai […]
Online gambling is a very relaxing form of entertainment; but at the same time, it’s extremely exciting as well! The sheer excitement you feel when taking risks and betting is really exhilarating, and it really can’t be compared with any other feeling. And when the screen finally goes bright and shiny, proudly announcing that you’ve […]
Both speculation and gambling, by their very nature, are different forms of risk-taking behavior. These two activities are based on the same principle of risk-to-reward ratio; however, there is a big difference between them. Namely, speculation is a risk management activity, whereas gambling is most often associated with randomness. There is absolutely no way to […]
It’s widely known that Native Americans from the US have exclusive rights for opening their gambling venues on the territories belonging to their tribes. However, there are also many popular misconceptions about Indian casinos and the way they work. Many people tend to think that every adult Native American can just open a private casino […]
On Monday September 14, MGM announced that it plans to open its first smoke-free casino at the end of September, when Park MGM will finally reopen its venues to players and tourists. The resort comprises around 2,990 rooms and various restaurants, and it’s set to be reopened on September 30. The venue has been closed […]
Online gambling has undoubtedly taken a place of true supremacy over the casino industry during the pandemic. And the reason for that is quite clear: online casinos are more accessible, and you can always count on some encouragement from the casino administration to help you boost your game. However, this digital revolution has only been […]
The large selection of online gambling sites out there can make players somewhat puzzled, and give them a feeling of uncertainty about making the right choice of casino. Each online gambling venue offers its own conditions, games, and various bonuses, of course; but the most important thing is the reliability of the casino and the […]
To be or not to be? This question is bothering thousands of players out there, who are all busy contemplating their playing strategies. “Should I bet more?” Or, “is it all about luck?” These are just some of the many questions that have been bothering people who are keen on casino games; and quite honestly, […]