internationalcasinoreview No bingo in Brazil News


While the markets in the US and Europe continue to struggle, there are a few that are thriving, not least Chile. The regulator, Superintendent Francisco Javier Leiva, who can claim some of the credit for solidity of the gaming environment there, is bullish about its future.


latintiger CHILE


Chile’s 15 casinos are set to see a combined increase in gaming revenues of around 40 per cent this year, accord- ing to the regulator Francisco Javier Leiva. This despite the shock of the earthquake that


Legislators in Brazil have rejected a bill to re-legalise bingo halls and slot machines in the country, after their ban in 2004 amid corruption scandals. Some politicians have claimed they have been approached this time with offers of bribes. The result bodes ill for any swift move to legalise proper casinos in the country, which had been hoped for once the new president was elected.


SOUTH & CENTRAL AMERICA


SCJ expects huge growth to continue all next year


hit at the start of March and caused the closure of several venues, including the largest Monticello for several months.


The casinos are set to gen-


erate gross revenues of around 152.67bn pesos (E242.3m) by the end of 2010. “We’re talking about 4.8 million visits by people with an average spend of around 33,000 pesos (E52),” said Leiva. “It’s an industry that continues to grow sig- nificantly and it is very diffi- cult to estimate whether or not it has reached the ceiling.”


The ceiling is still some


way off: by the SCJ’s own esti- mations, next year will be even better with revenues expected to be somewhere in the region of 207bn pesos (E327m) for 2011 with the number of visitors expected to break the 6m barrier and average spend-per-head rising to 34,000 pesos (E54) -


Chile’s Superintendent of casinos, Francisco Javier


and even that, said Leiva, is a “conservative estimate”. That prediction comes after the superintendent saw


how the operators and investor reacted in the wake of the earthquake. “The industry took advan-


tage of the occasion to resize and reinvest and every month has seen an increase in numbers over the previ- ous month, not only in visi- tors but also in how much they spend. We clearly see growth potential.” The law creating the new casino landscape in Chile - and how well it has been implemented - does, however, create a wrinkle. The seven legacy casinos have been allowed to carry on under the old rules until the end of 2015. Their planned closure would create a significant financial problem for their municipal owners and the mayors have been pursuing a vigorous campaign to find another way to incorporate the casinos. Leiva does not regulate the municipal casinos. He said: “Obviously, those mayors are concerned; you can’t ignore the fact that


Slot attendants win 66 per cent pay rise in Buenos Aires


jackpotwages ARGENTINA


Slot attendants in Buenos Aires are to get an increase in wages after the unions agreed with oper- ators that from January 1, 2011 five per cent of machine revenues will be shared between them, up from the three per cent rate cur- rently in operation. The spokesman for the Casino Employees Association, Jorge Baino, said: “Improving this area has been one of our objectives since almost five years ago. At that time were getting nothing for attending these machines, and had been doing so for free since 1995 when they were installed.” He said that previously the


machines were looked after by gaming staff who were diverted from the tables, even though their salaries were generated there, which was unfair. After a round of strikes, demonstrations and working to rule, the previous agreement was reached, although


Workers at the Casino Puerto Madero in Buenos Aires will be among those benefiting


those workers, as it is stipulated in the tender documents. Baino said: “What we once did with marches and struggles, today we can do with negotiations. It was difficult but we are happy to be coming closer to our objec- tive. Obtaining five per cent of slot machine product means that there is 66 per cent more in workers’ pockets.


The union has also managed to obtain an increase of 20 per cent in relocation expenses for employees that have to work in another casino, including those further up employment struc- ture.


The union has achieved


never signed. The new rate is certainly an


improvement but it is not what the Casino Employees Associa- tion ultimately wants, which is seven per cent: “We believe that is


18 January 2011 • south&centralamericannews


what has been lost at the tradi- tional game tables with respect to slot machines,” said Baino. When the Casino del Tigre


starts to operate, the seven per cent target will be achieved for


increases far ahead of the infla- tion rate in Argentina, which over 2010 has increased to around 6.2 per cent (up from 4.7 per cent in 2009). However, the economy is expected to have grown by 8.4 per cent in the year. The unem- ployment rate has also fallen from around 8.2 per cent last year to 7.6 per cent in 2010.


those casinos represent an important contribution to their budgets. However, as superintendent, I have to apply the law, which is that on January 1, 2016 we initi- ate a competitive bidding process. My opinion is that the whole industry should be under the same regula- tory framework regulated and supervised by the same body, that is the SCJ.” He continued: “A technical committee, where the seven mayors have held discus- sions with Regional Devel- opment Minister and the Treasury, is now considering which is the best solution. We are expecting that we will be called to give our opinion. There may be inter- mediate options on the table that can be explored, which adhere to the principle that regulation and enforcement are the same for all opera- tors, regardless of where they are located.”


Chile


authorises on-site server-based gaming


remoteopportunity CHILE


The Superintendent of Casinos (SCJ) in Chile has announced that downloadable server-based gaming (DSBG) is to be permitted in the 15 new-style casinos operating in the country.


After consulting the operators earlier in the year, the SCJ has settled on the original technical specifications, which state that the central server for the system must be located on the casino premises - off-site locations are explicitly and firmly prohibited - and must have a secure connection to each slot machine that does not affect the outcome of the game.


All the downloadable games that


are stored on the server must have been previously approved by the SCJ and must comply with the current regulations, particularly that the game instructions and paytable must be in Spanish and the per- centage return to players in prizes is not less than 85 per cent.


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