Casino in Altai Mountains attracts visitors despite economic crisis in Russia

The Altai Palace casino is thriving despite economic gloom, says chief manager Evgeny Kosyh. The complex opened in 2014 and he cites the case of the record winner so far, a man who had lost 599,000 roubles ($8800) and was gambling with his last 1,000 roubles ($14.70). 'He won back the full amount, and then also won an additional 450,000 roubles ($6690) .'

Mr Kosyh told local newspaper Altapress: 'The crisis doesn't affect us. Guests came to us - and will come. I remember that even in the crisis of 2008 the flow of visitors to casinos did not decrease. The same is true now. 

'Our database of unique visitors to the end of 2015 amounted to 6,800. Today there are more than 8,000. This year, according to the plan the number of visits will increase to 50,000. Since January of this year we already have about 7,900.

'Last year we had more than 35,000 visitors. The crisis does not impact on the gambling industry. Nor is it seasonal. The only bad month is February.'

The owners have invested 1.1 billion roubles ($16.1 million) and they expect a return sooner than expected, after six or seven years rather than ten. However, he does not expect an early expansion of the Altai gambling zone, one of only a handful permitted in Russia. 

'Siberian Coin still has no electricity, no gas, no roads,' he said. I think, until there is infrastructure no-one will build anything. By 1 June 2015,  officials promised to bring a transmission line from Biryuzovaya Katun resort.

'They were talking about this everywhere. (But) they pulled the line only to Biryuzovaya Katun and forgot about us. Our company created our own electricity. We has stretched the line from the neighbouring tourist place 'Kaimskoe' which also belongs to us.'

They also set up a private supply of hot water. 'The only promise we would like officials to fulfil is to complete 8 kilometres of road this year. If this happens, the number of visits will immediately rise by 30%.'