After the Gauselmann Group won a tender procedure to take over the WestSpiel Group and its casino operations in North Rhine-Westphalia, the WestSpiel Group is entering the concrete planning phase for a new casino location.

The area for the new location has around 4,300 square metres and will feature a wide range of games including classics like roulette, blackjack, poker and Gauselmann slots. The location is scheduled to open by the end of 2022.

In the meantime, the Merkur Casino branch located at the lower ground floor of the Merkur Spielbank in Monhaim am Rhein (which opened in 2010) will continue its operations, according to Dieter Kuhlmann, Gauselmann Group Management Board Member responsible for Gaming Operations.

Kuhlmann said: “During the tendering process for the casino concession, we already took a close look at possible additional casino locations and prepared extensive location and potential analyses. Considerations also took into account the politically and legally defined channelling mandate that is intended to ensure a safe and legally compliant environment for potential gamers.

"For this, it is absolutely essential to set up the casinos at locations that are easily accessible for as many people as possible. The Monheim am Rhein location is ideal because it lies at the intersection of the transport routes between the major conurbations. Monheim am Rhein can be reached in as little as 30 minutes by car from Cologne and Düsseldorf, North Rhine-Westphalia’s most populous cities. We are confident we have made a good choice with our new casino location.”

The Gauselmann Group is a family-owned company that has been operating gaming arcades in Germany and Europe since 1974. The group operates the Merkur Casino arcade chain while also developing games, system solutions and gaming machines, as well as money management systems.