Dragonara Casino re-opens after €10 million investment project

The Dragonara Casino has inaugurated its newly refurbished premises after an extensive upgrade – a €10 million investment project that saw a total overhaul of all the gaming areas and casino infrastructure.

Located inside one of Malta’s most extraordinary and imposing properties, the Dragonara Casino is in fact the only casino in Malta set in a historical palace, built in 1870 as a summer residence for the Scicluna family. The Dragonara Casino has been entertaining guests for over 50 years. It opened its doors on 15th July 1964 and was considered one of the first major projects to establish Malta as a tourist destination. Today it hosts over 300,000 patrons annually.

Addressing the media at the Dragonara Palace, Johann Schembri, Managing Director and Partner of Dragonara Gaming Ltd, the operator of the Dragonara Casino explained how the project, initiated some months ago, involved a complete re-design of the casino’s layout.

“Through this investment, we are confirming the Dragonara Casino’s sound position on the international scene as well as bringing another important enhancement to our tourism product. We have worked with the world’s leading casino resort designers to complete this ambitious project in record time. The entire casino layout has been re-designed in such a way that markedly improves the overall experience of the casino player. Special attention has been devoted to the layout and design of the Live Tables set-up with the aim of creating an unrivalled player experience.”

“We have also invested in first-to-market SLOT products from the world’s top industry suppliers. Our range of Slots products defines our commitment to the slots casino players by providing them with the latest and most avant-garde machines available on the market,” Mr Schembri added.

Outlining some of the major improvements of this upgrade project, Mr Schembri mentioned the creation of a specific space for poker, a VIP lounge for private gaming and a new sports betting lounge.

“We now have a speciallydedicated area inside the casino where poker players can enjoy their favourite game against the unique backdrop offered by views of St George’s Bay, making this new poker room an inimitable and exclusive feature in Malta.”

When talking about the importance for the land-based casino market in Malta to attract new players from international markets, Mr. Schembri said, “We have also been experiencing a rising demand for private gaming from both the local and more-so the international market. This led us to invest in a dedicated VIP lounge to meet the constant rising demand for private gaming. The place will be dedicated for both individual high-rollers and private groups.

“Another novelty to which we are really looking forward is the new dedicated sports betting lounge providing the widest range of sports-betting markets and offering the best land-based odds in the market. In fact, Sports betting at the Dragonara Casino is being offered by Malta’s fastest growing sports betting brand, IZIBET.”

Dragonara Casino currently employs around 200 people. Around 40% them is the direct result of this newly launched investment project.

The refurbishment project also includes the launch of VIOLETTA’S, a brand new dining experience open to non-casino patrons. The easy access to parking in the Dragonara Palace grounds, the choice of a mouth-watering Mediterranean menu and the breathtaking views of St Julian’s Bay make dining at VIOLETTA’s an experience to remember.

“Our investment is specifically directed towards attracting a new breed of players to Malta. As such, as Malta’s foremost casino, we are not looking at this investment only from our own perspective but also from a more holistic point of view – as a vote of confidence and our drive to upgrade Malta’s product offer when it comes to casino entertainment. Investment in this sector however, cannot be seen on its own but requires a holistic approach to ensure that the entire infrastructure and services such as transport, accessibility and accommodation support further growth of this industry.

“Having said that, we look at this €10 million project as a bold step forward fuelled by the belief that Dragonara Casino is excellently positioned not merely as another casino operator but as one of the most sought after casinos in Europe,” Mr Schembri concluded.