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SOUTH AMERICA by Ricardo Chavez-Munoz
CHILE
The licensing process is about complete in Chile with the approval of 15 new casino projects
COLOMBIA out of a total 17. Antofagasta, Copiapó, Los Ángeles, Pinto, Talcahuano, Temuco, Valdivia,
Pragmatic and sensible legislation foreign investment is pouring into Colombia not only Osorno, Punta Arenas and Calama were authorized between July and August last year, while San
from manufacturers in order to service the machines park, which needs updating and mod- Antonio, Rinconada, Mostazal, Santa Cruz and Talca, got their Christmas present in December.
ernizing, but also from leading operators like EGASA from Spain, who in association with Operators from all over the world are involved in the new Chile operations, which added
local casino leaders Unidelca have undertaken a US$70 million casino hotel Las Vegas-style to the seven casinos operating under the local council laws, will see a total of 24 casinos
complex in the buoyant city of Medellin. towards the end of 2008.
Well aware of the opportunities on offer in the country, foreign companies such as ACE
from Korea and Boss Gaming from England have set up assembly plants in Colombia. URUGUAY, VENEZUELA AND BRAZIL
With some successful private operations in Uruguay, local municipal operations in
PERU Montevideo are in the middle of an almighty scandal where political leaders have been
The year started on a good note, when Congress approved an amendment to the Peruvian accused of corruption and other crimes. Montevideo Municipal casinos went through a
gambling law. Licensing and tax collection were confirmed to be the prerogative of the five-year losing run to the tune of US$16 million. With some luck the thieves will be jailed,
legally appointed institutions, leaving the way clear for the Constitutional Tribunal to put the incompetent fired and the politicians hopefully thrashed in elections.
an end to innumerable injunctions by questionable judges, who have enabled some propri- A really ugly piece of gaming legislation comes from President Chavez and a supine
etors of casinos and slots operations to avoid paying gaming taxes and operate unlicensed Venezuelan National Assembly. They have engineered for the casino industry a machine gam-
under a Habeas Corpus ruling on a Constitutional recourse. ing tax of over US$100 per day per machine, causing a vast reduction of slots at casinos and
The legislation amendment also reduced gaming tax to 12% from 20%, and in late March bingos and the steady loss of confidence by gaming operators and investors in the country.
the Atlantic City slots operation in the heart of fashionable Miraflores Lima opened the Meanwhile, President Lula of Brazil, who ordered bingos to close, has seen his relatives
biggest casino in the capital of the country, just next door to its former home. Also in accused of corruption while the debate goes on about gaming legislation. Both: bad and ugly.
March, Spanish operators Cirsa announced investment of over US$20 million in its
Peruvian operations, while in May regional operators Thunderbird Resorts paid US$43 mil-
lion for local hotel chain Las Americas, and immediately announced the opening of a casi-
no in the group flagship five-Star Las Americas Hotel & Suites, just across the road from
Atlantic City, for a projected US $60 million group investment.
ARGENTINA
Operators are still active in Argentina, with Santa Fe province licensing three casinos for
Rosario, Melincue and Santa Fe city itself. Other operations are opening up and down the
country, but the juicy news came from the strategic alliance between Buenos Aires floating
casinos Cirsa and local operator Casino Clubs. In the deal, Cirsa gets 50% of the Rosario
casino and Casino Club get 50% of the Princess and Estrella de la Fortuna casino ships,
by Ricardo Chavez Munoz
practically on dry land on the Buenos Aires coast. Read his monthly column in Casino International or check out
www.casinocompendium.com for up-to-date news on Latino America
For a more efficient, profitable and
exciting gaming future. Learn more
about our full range of solutions at
www.octavianinternational.com
info@octavianonline.com
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