Willemstad - The gross turnover of the 13 casinos on Curaçao amounted to 284.5 million guilders last year, according to the statistics of the Gaming Control Board (GCB). This represents an increase of more than 50 million compared to 2007. The upward trend started in 2005, when a total turnover of 185.3 million guilders was realised.

The financial daily 'De Tijd' reports that 2007 was a record year for Belgium's nine casinos as annual turnover rose by EUR 15 million to EUR 115 million. The rise in turnover continues the trend that started in 2004 when annual turnover at the country's casinos was just EUR 43 million. The opening of a new casino in Brussels has been a major contributory factor to the big rise in turnover.

Poker machine maker Aristocrat Leisure yesterday gave details of the extent of its sales decline in the US and warned of an oversupply of machines in its other important market, Macau. It also gave an insight into a distressing trend where their casino customers were holding onto their outdated machines for three times longer than ever before, a move which has crimped sales of replacement machines.