Neither Gitam, the Tel Aviv advertising agency that represents the casino, nor Casinos Austria, the parent company that manages it, were prepared to divulge figures regarding revenue already lost or projected losses stemming from the closure.
However, the financial impact of the closure could be devastating — both to the owners and the Palestinian Authority. Once investors had earned back their money during a brief initial trial period, the casino’s revenues were to be taxed at 30 percent.
The casino has had a stormy history. It has been criticized by all sides of the political spectrum — Israeli, Palestinian, secular and religious. Attorney General Elyakim Rubinstein threatened to prosecute Israeli patrons, and many Palestinian Legislative Council members suggested that the Palestinian Authority shut down the entire operation. Numerous closures of the territories frustrated management and cut into revenue.
Most recently a call was issued by Knesset member Benny Elon for the Israel Defense Force to destroy the casino in retaliation for the desecration of the Shalom Al Yisrael synagogue in Jericho.
The current closure is not yet permanent, according to Pilo. “We’ll reconsider our position” on a daily basis, he said.
The fate of the casino employees, nearly all Europeans brought in to run the enterprise, is “still being discussed by the management,” which is retaining them on the payroll for the moment.