The two-year wait to find and crown the European Casino Association’s European Dealer Champion ended in spectacular fashion at the Salle Medecin, Casino de Monte-Carlo on May 18, 2022. Two days of intense competition saw 40 participants from 23 different European countries display excellence in the ‘art of dealing’ against the stunning Monaco setting of Casino de Monte-Carlo. Proving their skill across all the disciplines, Christoph Boo from Casino Zurich, Switzerland beat Daniel Rhodes, Hippodrome London and Zoltan Horvath, Casino Györ, into second and third place, to win a thrilling final to rightfully be named this year’s European Dealer Champion.
The 14th edition of the ECA’s European Dealer Championship took place on the biggest stage and grandest theatre in European gaming, the fabulous Casino de Monte-Carlo in Monaco. Société des Bains de Mer, welcomed a record number of participants, jury members and a crowd of hundreds of spectators who witnessed Europe’s finest dealers in action.
Reflecting on his performance, Christoph Boo stated, “This is amazing. I never expected to win when I came to this amazing place, with all these fantastic dealers. I am so proud to have won this competition and to be crowned European Dealer Champion 2022.”
In addition to the main prize, in which participants had to prove their talents in the traditional and most popular casino games of American Roulette and Black Jack, a variety of side competitions focused upon special disciplines to find croupiers that have mastered chipping, card handling, cutting chips, pushing stacks and mathematics. The following winners showed their skills in these specialty events:
Best Card Handler: Christopher Conceicao, Casino de Monte-Carlo.
Best Cutting Chips: Noemie Serra, Casino de Monte-Carlo.
Best Pushing Stacks: Paul Gaitan, Casino Cosmopol.
Best Mathematician: Marzen Zdanowske, Casinos Poland.
Best Chipper: Paul Gaitan, Casino Cosmopol.
Each of the side event prizes was sponsored by London Gaming for €400. The third place prize of €750 was sponsored by CTC Holdings. The second place prize of €1,500 was sponsored by ICSE and the main prize of €3,000 for the champion was sponsored and presented by Light and Wonder. A special surprise was also awarded to the champion at the Winner’s Party on the final day, of a cruise provided by Carnival Corporation.
The ECA Dealer Championship is the longest-running competition of its kind in Europe, with croupiers chosen at the national level to compete in a knock-out tournament that involves technical skill, control of the game, hospitality and nerves of steel. Since its inaugural event in 2007, the European Dealer Championship has visited 13 countries and welcomed over 400 contestants and 2,000 spectators from across Europe and beyond. The much-anticipated Monte-Carlo event was an extra special occasion as the industry reunited with friends and colleagues after so long apart in an extraordinary location.
Pascal Camia, executive vice-president of gaming activity at Monte-Carlo Société des Bains dear Mer, said, “It has been a great pleasure to host such elite dealer talent from so many European land-based casinos here in Monaco. The competition was intense, thrilling and most importantly, fun. It was a great achievement for Casino de Monte-Carlo to have two finalists in this year’s competition in Noemie Serra and Christopher Conceicao. All the participants created an atmosphere of competitive rivalry, sharing their skill and know-how with their peers in a fabulous final that found a worthy champion in Christoph Boo.”
“I would like to thank our hosts, Monte-Carlo Société des Bains dear Mer for providing the picture perfect backdrop to this year’s event,” said ECA Chairman, Per Jaldung. “It has been a privilege to witness the operational excellence first-hand; the world-class customer hospitality and share in the Monte-Carlo experience with our friends and colleagues. We are an industry built on the talent of our dealers, who are the first point of contact with our customers. Our dealers are the essential ingredient in our live gaming environments. The EDC showcases the incredible diversity of talent nurtured by the land-based gaming industry, which employs over 50,000 people in Europe. Congratulations to Christoph Boo for rising to the top of an outstanding field of competitors. We look forward to welcoming Christoph back next year to judge the championship in 2023.”
Sponsors of the EDC 2022 included Abbiati Casino Equipment, Casino Helsinki & Tampere, Clarion Events, Casino Locking Systems, CTC Holdings, Dallmeier, Galaxy Gaming, Hippodrome Casino, Holland Casino, ICSE, Light & Wonder, Matsui Europe, Smart Rota and Tangam Systems.
The European Dealer Championship will return in 2023 in Cyprus hosted by City of Dreams Mediterranean.
