Outside smoking-and gaming-allowed in France

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The Palm Beach casino in Cannes has found a way around the smoking ban introduced in France at the start of the year-weather permitting.

An 800-square-meter outdoor space, accessible only from inside the casino, allows players to participate in roulette, blackjack and poker while lighting up.

“We took advantage of a law approved in 2007, which authorizes games to become visible activities, but we had to overcome the reservations of the minister of the interior in several points,” Richard Frischer, director of the Partouche brand casino,
told AFP.

Security and surveillance concerns had to be dealt with, as well as how to handle sudden weather-related interruptions during play.

“We hope this venue will allow us to face the competition of casinos in Monaco,” said Frischer.

French casinos have seen business decline by 10 percent since the introduction of the smoking ban. Nearby Monaco saw revenues increase by 16 percent for the third year in a row.