Casino resort firm Bombay Group laying off over half its staff
Casino hotel and resort operator Bombay Group has announced it is laying off more than half of its employees, citing profitability issues, Delfi Ärileht reported.
The company, which operates a Tallinn Old Town casino hotel and resort complex for high rollers, is not disclosing the exact number of people laid off, though a press release indicates that more than half of its 164 employees on payroll in 2025 are being dismissed.
Bombay Group management board member Dajana Tiitsaar said the biggest changes concern daily table games and other gambling activities, which proved economically unjustified. The company says it will return to its original concept of gaming floors being available to guests by prior arrangement and on demand.
As most staff were involved in day-to-day casino gaming or related services, the switch will be followed by significant layoffs, implemented through this month, Tiitsaar added. Bombay Group had already announced layoffs last November, and parent company Yolo Group had also reduced its workforce.
The Burman Hotel and the Shang Shi restaurant and the Koyo Japanese restaurant on Dunkri, both included in the Michelin Guide, will both remain open, as will The Fox Den poker school inside the complex.
The Bombay Club & Resort involved an approximate €100 million investment; the 5,000-square-meter complex adjacent to Town Hall Square was refurbished over five years, fully complying with heritage protection requirements. The Burman Hotel is also located on Rataskaevu, next to the landmark well there.
Bombay Group reportedly paid €10 million in taxes last year, including almost €1.5 million in gambling tax. Yolo Group's owners include Australian Tim Heath (70.5 percent stake) and Reio Piller (18 percent), along with several smaller shareholders.
Yolo Group announced in late September last year it was laying off 280 employees in Estonia, at a time when it is opting to continue operating only in fully regulated and licensed markets, in order to remain competitive in a rapidly changing sector. Over people were to remain working at the group's companies in Estonia following those layoffs, at the time they were announced.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte
