The world's first drive-through casino, located in France, has opened for business and adds another dimension of convenience to gambling in France. Called Pasino Drive, it's part of Groupe Partouche's sprawling Casino Grande-Motte leisure and entertainment complex, which is located in the southern part of the country.
The Partouche Group operates some of the best casinos in France, and also has casinos in Switzerland, Belgium, and Tunisia. In the fourth quarter of 2020, the company entered the world of online casinos by launching an Internet casino aimed at the Swiss online gambling market.
Groupe Partouche's Pasino Drive drive-through casino was originally slated to open in January 2021 to counter a round of establishment closures due to COVID-19. The company had earlier received authorization to test the drive-through casino concept. Partouche has also filed for a patent for the concept.
The casino opened in May 2021 in the seaside resort and port town of La Grande Motte in southern France's Occitanie region. Situated in the car park of Casino Grande-Motte, it features seven tents where gamblers who drive up in a car or a motorcycle can choose from a wide selection of games. In addition to 31 slots, there are 18 electronic roulette machines, which players can enjoy by using contactless pods or boxes. These pods are only accessible by vehicle and can accommodate up to five players. To maintain safety and sanitation, all pods are cleaned and disinfected after each visit.
According to a G3Newswire report, Groupe Partouche chairman Fabrice Paire has expressed satisfaction with the initial results of Pasino Drive's first ten days of operation. He specified that the value and the perception that the casino brings to customers are compelling factors to continue operating the facility.
Mr. Paire also described adjustments implemented at the casino to better satisfy its customers. For example, electronic English roulette stations have been added to some boxes to accommodate the demand for and popularity of this game and other electronic table games in La Grande-Motte and the region as a whole.
As one of the operators of the best casinos in France, it isn't surprising that Groupe Partouche's drive-through casino initiative was received popularly in the region.
The company is not planning to launch other drive-and-play casinos through the rest of 2021. Instead, Partouche aims to evaluate the La Grande-Motte performance and experience.
However, Mr. Paire has proclaimed the casino drive-through concept as a Partouche exclusive and that the company fully plans to develop the concept in other establishments. According to Mr. Paire, the concept is easy to reproduce. He also stated that Groupe Partouche is setting its sights on 2022 for further developing the concept and enrich the experience of gambling in France.
However, for the concept to work effectively, a parking lot must be large enough to accommodate both a drive-through casino and sufficient parking for customers. In light of these factors, not all casinos owned by Groupe Partouche will be able to accommodate a drive-and-play casino.
