Having entered the biggest bids for the new proposed casino development in the tiny European country of Andorra, Malaysia’s Genting and Spain’s Cirsa were widely thought to be the two favourites amongst the thirteen submitted bids to land the contract. In the end, however, a smaller, lesser-known firm, local to Andorra, was chosen: Jocs SA, who, though small in comparison to the Genting and Cirsa behemoths, do have a technology alliance with Austrian gaming equipment manufacturer Novomatic AG.
In one sense, it’s a counterintuitive decision, since Genting and Cirsa’s bids were huge in comparison to Jocs’; Genting’s bid came in at around €140 million, while Jocs SA’s bid was for a mere €15 million. The proposal calls for a six-floor, four-storey-tall building with two underground levels as the centerpiece of a complex covering 4,000 square metres. Jocs SA now has fifteen days to apply for a Class A gambling license in order to build it.
It seems that Genting’s 20 floor casino proposal was ultimately rejected due to uncertainty about their ability to obtain the land required for the project. They were, in fact, reportedly disqualified from the bidding process altogether as a result of this uncertainty.
Genting, and all other rejected bidders, now have a month to appeal the decision.
Given Jocs SA’s relatively low international profile, this is a triumph for the company, even considering the possibility of appeal. With a bid just over the minimum required of €10 million, Jocs SA must have always been aware that it was an unlikely contender, and who doesn’t like to root for an underdog?
Genting, for its part, is not expected to appeal, per Andorran Gaming Control Board general director Xavier Bardina, who said the decision was ‘purely technical’.
