Storm International

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Storm International is a Dutch holding company operating in the gambling business, founded in 1992 by Michael Boettcher.[1][2]

History[edit]

The company started its operations in Moscow in 1992 under Michael Boettcher,[3] who began his career as a dealer in London's gambling industry in 1971.[4] He came to Russia as a Project Manager for the US company Legend Investments, where he opened the first casino, "Elite". After Legend Investments left the Russian market, Boettcher founded his own company, Storm International. The company eventually became a shareholder of the casinos Kings, Queens, Metropole, Wells Fargo, and Vinso-Grand.[5]

In 1997, "Shangri La" casino was launched. In 2001 the company opened "Super Slots" — a network of slot halls. Forbes estimates that the revenue of Shangri La casino in 2006 was about $300 million. At the time of leaving the Russian market, Storm International had about 6,000 employees.[6]

After the ban on gambling in Russia in the summer of 2009,[7] the company ceased operations in Russia but went on to open casinos in Minsk and Yerevan under the brand Shangri La, as well as two slot halls in Monterrey, Mexico under the "Hollywood" brand with approximately 1,000 machines.[8]

In 2009 the company entered the market of Belarus.[9]

In 2012 Shangri La Tbilisi opened. The first casino of the company in the EU, SL Casino Riga, was opened in 2017.[10]

It became the 4th in the CIS, has become one with the institutions in Tbilisi, Yerevan, and Minsk.[11]

In 2017 Storm International has launched and is currently operating an online live casino and sportsbook ShangriLa.com.[12]

As of 2018 the company had a network of slot halls in Germany and Shangri La Casino in Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Latvia,[13][14] Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.[15][13][16] 

After the legalization of the gambling business in Ukraine in 2020, Storm International was first to open casinos in Kyiv and in Kharkiv in 2021 under its Shangri La Casino brand and launched seven "Slots City" locations in four cities. It also became the first foreign gambling business in Ukraine.[17][18][19]

In December 2019 Gamedev LLC was registered, which received a license to operate in Ukraine from the Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries.[20][21]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "The development of Storm International network in 2017". spbit.ru (in Russian). 24 October 2018. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  2. ^ "Пережити Москву. Історія компанії Storm International і її знаменитих казино Shangri-La". azart.nv.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  3. ^ Belfast, Love (1 August 2019). "Storm International Promotes Shangri La Network in Four Countries". LoveBelfast. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  4. ^ ""Давайте будемо Європою, а не Африкою". Легендарний магнат казино Майкл Боттчер про відкриття свого бізнесу в Україні". azart.nv.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  5. ^ "Российский холдинг Storm International инвестирует в игорный бизнес Армении $300 млн". ИА REGNUM (in Russian). Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  6. ^ ""Все звезды эстрады прошли через "Метелицу""". www.kommersant.ru (in Russian). 1 July 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  7. ^ "Putin tells Russian casinos to cash in their chips". San Diego Union-Tribune. 30 June 2009. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  8. ^ Alien. "Storm International plans to expand its activities | Плющ и Пчела" (in Russian). Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  9. ^ "Как легли карты королей казино". www.kommersant.ru (in Russian). 29 June 2019. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  10. ^ "SL Casino – the fourth successful casino by Shangri La network". 24boxing.com.ua. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  11. ^ Goldberg, Ryan (21 January 2020). "SL Casino Riga by Storm International Is Popular with Junket Tourists in Latvia". Incentria. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  12. ^ "ShangriLa". shangrila.com. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  13. ^ a b "Storm International blame smoking ban for revenues fall". iGaming Post. 26 May 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  14. ^ "Отдых в Грузии: альтернатива стандартным развлечениям". www.rubaltic.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  15. ^ "Storm International открывает казино "Шангри Ла" в Риге" (in Russian). Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  16. ^ Иванов, Глеб (30 April 2021). "В столичном Фейрмонте откроется казино Shangri La". OBOZREVATEL NEWS (in Russian). Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  17. ^ "Пережить Москву. История компании Storm International и ее знаменитых казино Shangri-La". azart.nv.ua (in Russian). Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  18. ^ "В отеле Fairmont Grand Hotel открыли первое международное казино". biz.liga.net (in Russian). 22 September 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  19. ^ "Бюджет получил лишь миллиард от лицензий для игорного бизнеса, хотя в Кабмине ожидали в несколько раз больше — DSnews.ua". www.dsnews.ua (in Russian). 6 September 2021. Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  20. ^ "Казино в Киеве заплатило 72 млн грн за лицензию. Общая сумма поступлений перевалила за полмиллиарда". azart.nv.ua (in Russian). Retrieved 30 November 2021.
  21. ^ ""Ми інвестували десятки мільйонів доларів даремно". Майкл Боттчер про перший місяць роботи казино Shangri La у Києві". azart.nv.ua (in Ukrainian). Retrieved 30 November 2021.


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