The casino was built for 108.9 million euro, including the 15-year concession fee of 30 million euro.
In the first two months of operation, the casino management repeatedly told the press that business was going better than planned. Target number of daily visitors was 6,000 a day; real numbers were 10,000 in the first 30 days and 7,000 until the end of June 2006. Each visitor spent € 90 in gambling. In late June, the casino shifted its opening hours from 3 pm to 3 am to 4 pm to 4 am on weekends (Friday and Saturday). This schedule also applies to eves of holidays.
In the first five months of operation, total revenues reached 30.2 million euro.
Target annual turnover was 70 million euro. 50% of the turnover (intake less prize payouts) reverts to the State as part of the concession terms, but otherwise the company is exempt from the usual income tax laws. In June alone, 14 million euro were awarded in prizes, for around a 90% payout ratio.
Sales on nearby commerce, including the huge Centro Vasco da Gama shopping mall, are reported to have increased overall.
Effects on Estoril Casino
The workers at Estoril Casino, the biggest in Europe, went on strike in January 2005, claiming the opening of the Lisbon Casino, only 35 km away, would reduce the number of clients and threaten their job security.[4] The administration of Estoril-Sol had presented them with a Company Agreement, which said that, if in 36 months, the revenue had gone down due to the Lisbon Casino, they would be able to downsize the workforce. This issue was never fully solved.
The company had announced a projected 20% decline in the revenue of the old casino. That decline was announced to have been just 0,9% in the first month, and 15% after five months.