The ambitious plans that would see state-owned Holland Casino expand its activities into the areas of theatres and clubs have been vetoed by justice minister Ernst Hirsch Ballin.

Holland Casino, which has a monopoly on the Dutch casino market, announced in early February an investment plan of ‘hundreds of millions of euros’, which included organising theatre performances and club activities.
Hirsch Ballin has told parliament he is against the plan, saying the company should ‘stick to what it knows’, according to Wednesday’s Telegraaf.
The Labour and Socialist parties had already said the move did not fit with the company’s stated aim of reducing gambling addiction.
Holland Casino had a difficult 2008 and the smoking ban alone cost it €35m. The recession has seen visitor numbers and turnover fall between 10% and 15% in the last few months, the paper said.