Abidjan: a new dream destination for playing at the casino?

The news has just been officially announced: the Barrière group will open its very first casino in Ivory Coast. It is in Abidjan, the economic capital of the country, that this new casino is expected to open. The announcement was made public a few days ago, during a press conference held at the L'éléphant d'or Sofitel hotel in Abidjan. This announcement stated that the establishment will open on May 1, 2017. Let's take a closer look at this colossal project that is likely to delight more than one casino enthusiast and perfectly illustrates the Barrière group's international development strategy.

The Barrière Group did not do things by halves when deciding to open its first casino in Cote d'Ivoire. The group has invested nearly 3 billion CFA francs to see this project come to life in Abidjan, not to mention an additional 2 billion CFA francs from SPDC, the Society of Cocody Palaces. This project is part of Barrière Group's internationalization policy, which also plans to open a casino in Cairo soon. Why so much enthusiasm for the group to establish itself in Africa? The 21% increase in revenue for the Barrière establishment in Marrakech is a good indicator...

More details on the new Barrière casino “The Golden Elephant”

What will this long-awaited casino be like? The Barrière and SPDC gaming establishment should have a gigantic space of about 1,600m2. An entertainment area capable of welcoming a global clientele, which will be open 365 days a year and until 3am. During the weekend, the casino will remain exceptionally accessible until four in the morning and will only accept players over 21 years old.

The Golden Elephant will offer over 80 different slot machine games, from traditional slots to completely modern and innovative reel games: the range of slot machines should appeal to a wide range of customers. The Barrière establishment should also offer eleven table game rooms, including four poker rooms. A first in West Africa with a progressive jackpot of at least 5 million CFA francs, linking all the poker tables.

Barrière also wants to innovate by offering digital roulette games (English roulette) as well as the Cashless payment method, a rechargeable prepaid card.

Ivorians: banned from playing!

For Alain Le Gars, from the Barrière group, the choice of Cote d'Ivoire is obviously not insignificant, even though it is known that citizens of Cote d'Ivoire are not allowed to play casino games, according to the country's law. The establishment, which will also offer a restaurant, a lounge, and a performance hall capable of accommodating nearly 150 people, will be a "real destination" for tourists looking for high-end entertainment.

Certainly, the inhabitants of Abidjan will not be able to enjoy the joys of the Barrière casino, but the birth of this project still contributes to the hiring of 85 local employees.