The Isle of Man’s second casino licence is generating enormous interest, Economic Development Minister John Shimmin has revealed.
Shimmin announced that over 300 companies had either been approached or had expressed an interest in developing a casino on the island.
A shortlist of candidates is to be drawn up after the deadline of January 31, he said.
The decision to award a second casino licence has drawn criticism from the Sefton Group, the operator of the island’s only other casino at the Palace Hotel in Douglas. The company warned that with such a small population, the island could not sustain two profitable casinos.
Nowhere in the UK, said Brett Martin, the group’s chief executive, has as many casinos in such a small catchment area.
