The gaming provider recently celebrated its Merkur Casino Aberdeen facility's first birthday by donating £5,000 ($6,540) to help fund the operations of a local emergency air ambulance charity.

The single-story property opened in July of last year as the inaugural Merkur Casino-branded venue in the United Kingdom and features eleven gaming tables with poker, blackjack, mahjong, and roulette entertainment. The Aberdeen enterprise run by the Merkur Casino UK subsidiary of German gambling behemoth Merkur Group also hosts a restaurant and a sports bar as well as 20 slots offering linked jackpots of up to £20,000 ($26,170).

Community Commitment

The Chief Operating Officer for Merkur Casino UK, Mark Schertle, revealed the donation to the Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance (SCAA) organization formed part of first-year celebrations that moreover included a weekend of live musical entertainment. The executive explained these festivities were held about a month after his company raised some £12,000 ($15,680) for a range of non-profit organizations by running a special five-a-side football tournament.

“We’re delighted to be celebrating our first anniversary by contributing to a cause that is so important to our community,” Schertle told iGamingFuture. 

“The SCAA performs an invaluable service and we are proud to support its life-saving work. This donation is our way of expressing our appreciation for the support we have received from the Aberdeen community over the past year and giving something back.” added Schertle.

Gratifying Gift 

Kate Loades serves as the Community Fundraising Manager for the SCAA and she disclosed her organization requires approximately £5.2 million ($6.8 million) in annual donations to continue running its pair of rapid response helicopters around the clock. She further asserted the gift from Merkur Casino Aberdeen was received during one of her enterprise’s busiest times as demand for its services swells significantly in response to the corresponding increase in recreational activities and summer road traffic.

“We are incredibly grateful for the generosity shown by Merkur Casino Aberdeen,” Loades said. “Donations like these are essential for maintaining our operations and ensuring that we can continue to provide rapid response medical care to those in need. This contribution will have a direct impact on saving lives.” 

Important Instruments 

The SCAA operates one of its Airbus EC135 helicopters, which have a maximum speed of 160mph, out of Aberdeen International Airport, while a compatriot aircraft is based at Perth Airport. The pair together supply life-saving pre-hospital care and transport to those in need across more than 30,000 square miles of Scottish countryside.

Launched in 2013, the SCAA marked its 6,000th call-out in July, with roughly 35% of these cases having involved serious trauma. The organization asserted it relies ‘100% on funding from the public’ but tops up these donations by running a multitude of fundraising events and a charitable lottery.