The French on and offline casino group Partouche saw full year pre tax profits for 2007 halved, and prospects for 2008 impacted by the introduction of a smoking ban in France, saying the ban made the outlook for 2008 "uncertain." In a statement this week, the company said net profit fell to 14.3 million euro from 28.7 million euro a year earlier, on sales down 1 % at 854.8 million euro as new security checks kept some customers away from its French casinos.

Groupe Partouche, manager of the casino of Chaudfontaine, in Belgium, will invest 20 to 25 million euros to transform the establishment completely, the daily local newspaper La Meuse recently stated. The existing casino would be razed to the ground in order to give way to a complex which will include a bigger gambling establishment, theme restaurants, a theatre with more than 1000 seats, offices and a 5-star luxury hotel of 80 rooms, as well as underground parkings.