The major Greek gambling group OPAP is progressing well with the creation of its “Play” network of gaming halls, which will focus on the availability of Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs) across a wide range of “mini casino” gaming halls across Greece, reports the daily newspaper Ekathimerini.
Sources told the publication that around 4,000 buildings have already been proposed as locations for the new “Play” gaming halls, and “hundreds” of applications are being considered for management of the halls through a franchise arrangement.
The interest has been so high that OPAP is considering a two week extension of the cut-off date for applications to ensure that all interested parties have an opportunity to participate, the newspaper reports, noting that many of the applicants are existing OPAP betting agents, five hundred of whom have already been accepted despite attempts by the unions to disrupt a process they do not support.
Ekathimerini reports that OPAP initially intends to operate 660 “Play” gaming halls, each with around 25 VLTs. That’s a total of 16,500 terminals, but the full project is likely to be bigger; OPAP has a license for 35,000 VLTs, but the remaining 18,500 will be operated by subcontractors to be chosen later.