Following scientific research at the Institute of Polar Science, Gala Casino have announced they are to build the world’s first Ice Casino.

The structure is to be based in northern Sweden, with construction set to begin November of this year and Gala hope the casino will last until late next spring, depending on the weather.

Taking inspiration from its Arctic location, the casino will be designed in the style of an igloo and take shape using circular build and clean lines. Gala have approximated that over 1.4 tonnes of ice will be used to create the building, after taking into consideration the structure, furnishings and casino tables.

Gala Casino’s planning director Flora Lopis feels like idea is a great coup for the company, stating:

“An Ice Casino makes perfect business sense. Players who perform better will keep returning. They can arrive in style by Skis, sled or snowmobile James Bond style, no other casino offers this unforgettable experience. Plus each year as the building melts, we’re not left with any high running costs to cover.”

The project will be staffed by AP & Ril Architects, calling on the knowledge, skills and expertise of over 200 workers coming from a range of different technical backgrounds within the Arctic region. Alongside the building staff, a team of 50 artists and designers are to be employed to ensure all the finer details of the casino are taken care off, carefully carving everything from the bar stools to the poker chips.

After enlisting the help of Professor Ross Bight, Gala were able to turn their dream idea into a reality. Working out of his laboratory at the Institute of Polar Science (IPS) in central London, Bight ran focus groups in a variety of different temperatures and conditions, asking participants to take part in casino games. By challenging in gamers to play games more based on luck such as roulette, to a more analytical and mathematical hand of blackjack in temperatures between -5 and 22 degrees, Professor Bight was able to find a correlation between the winnings the study would win and the conditions.

Bight commented on the results, stating:

“We monitored the performance of the players and found significant differences when the temperature reached the lowest point. Players were concentrating more, making more calculated decisions and ultimately racking up significant winnings, compared to the games conducted in warmer temperatures.”

With the research done at the IPS and the design work by AP & Ril Architects, Gala’s Ice Casino looks set to be an engineering feat and the company are hoping to be open to the public in late December.

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