Talking to Cristian Mihai, General Manager at Palace Casino from Casa Vernescu Bucharest
Cristian Mihai is General Manager at Palace Casino from Casa Vernescu Bucharest for the last almost 5 years. Graduated in foreign languages, he launched his career in the gambling industry at the end of the 90s, and after a lot of work both in Romania and abroad, he began his rise, assuming leadership roles in key points of a traditional Casino thus accumulating an experience of 25 years in gambling.
Mr. Cristian Mihai, a few words about you and the world of gambling?
Working in Live Casinos was and is a fabulous experience. I think that in no other field can you gather so many stories about life, if only for the simple reason that you come into contact with people from all walks of life: from business people to people who try to make a living in this way, from highly educated people to the least dubious or from employees supporting their families to young people, often students making friends in a community fascinated by the extravagance displayed in this opulent world.
Why gambling?
Because, as I said above, I was also fascinated by this world of mirage, mixed with drama and joy, adrenaline and spectacle. It all started in the years of youth, in the period of trials. I was first a dealer for several years, and later, being passionate about technology, I moved to the Surveillance department, where I was able to gain another, much broader perspective, helping me understand many aspects of this business and significantly develop my management skills. Later I assumed the role of leader of the CCTV surveillance team, and later this leadership position came naturally from where you have to coordinate operationally, administratively and last but not least humanly this activity.
Palace Casino from Casa Vernescu Bucharest?
At Palace Casino we strive to provide a unique experience because although this industry has grown significantly in recent years, the biggest challenge today is the evolution of technology that has allowed gambling operators to move most of the market to online, but traditional table games will still be the ones that offer a much greater social and entertainment experience, and they force us to constantly adapt.
One of the aspects that differentiate us from other Casinos is our location: Casa Vernescu is a historic building with impressive architecture, rich history and impressive decor reminiscent of the golden age of Bucharest. In addition, the wide range of table and slot games is complemented by bar and restaurant offerings, all wrapped in premium hospitality services for our customers.
What is your management philosophy and how is it reflected in the way you manage Palace Casino?
I believe in a balanced approach that combines efficiency in all its aspects with attention to our visitors and employees. As the leaders of the traditional market in Romania, I would dare to say that we have succeeded in being an important player in Europe. Thus, as we have told the people on our team, we are proud to take the story of traditional live games forward and the gaming experience to a level of elegance that allows us to remain the leaders of an exceptional generation.
The social experience offers an aristocracy air to anyone who steps into a traditional Casino and yet the message we send is to play for fun and not to win!
