Government Initiates US$100m Slot Tender Te governor of Buenos Aires María Eugenia Vidal puts the licence for slot
machines operating in eight casinos in the province of Buenos Aires up for tender.
Te licence for the operation of slots in the province of Buenos Aires has been put up for tender with Codere, Inverclub and Boldt currently in the running
ARGENTINA CASINO OPERATIONS
Te governor of Buenos Aires María Eugenia Vidal (pictured) has decided to put the licence for slot machines operating in eight casinos in the province of Buenos Aires up for tender. Te operation of slot machines in the casinos, which are located in the centre of the province and along the coast, is currently held by Boldt which operates 2,600 slot machines in the province of Buenos Aires - home to 15.6m people.
According to local daily Clarin the business is currently worth around $550m pesos a year. Boldt's licence expires in March and the new tender process is likely to hail a hard fought contest as operators seek to make further inroads into the market with Codere, Inverclub, and Boldt all rumoured to be interested in the new licence.
Boldt runs five gaming properties located in Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Mar del Plata and Miramar whilst Inverclub operates casinos in the city of Buenos Aires, Rosario and Neuquén. Meanwhile Codere is the market leader in the province of Buenos Aires. Currently, the company runs a total of fourteen bingo halls,
Argentina
Ahead of the commencement of Merkur Gaming Argentina, S.A. the company has announced the appointment of industry stalwart Alejandro Saraintaris as its General Manager. Merkur Gaming Americas has taken another major step forward in fulfilling its intention of further expansion throughout Latin America with the incorporation of Merkur Gaming Argentina, S.A. and the appointment of Alejandro Saraintaris as the company’s General Manager.
A proven and true gaming industry veteran, Alejandro Saraintaris has over 16 years of experience in Argentinean gaming and beyond, having worked extensively in both sales and management roles during that period. A graduate in industrial engineering from the Universidad Argentina de la Impresa, Alejandro Saraintaris has a strong technical background combined with a wealth of commercial acumen.
6,500 slot machines and employs over 4,000 people locally.
In order to take part in the tender potential operators will need to pay $300,000 pesos in order to gain access tor the terms and conditions for the new licensing process with an offer of US$100m set as the minimum bid. Te licence will be valid for a 15 year term and the winning bidder will also be given the option to extend the licence for another five years. Crucially a number of the slot machines are located in popular holiday destinations such as Mar del Plata and in other resorts along the coast.
Te government is also looking to monitor the new slot machines online and will be launching a separate tender as it looks for a company to monitor the operations of the new licensee. According to local sources however the US$100m price tag could prove excessive. Te Director of the Institute of Lottery and Casinos of the Province of Buenos Aires, Meliton Eugenio López will hand in his report on the licensing process to the governor in the coming days.
Sun Dreams secures US$150m loan to expand in LATAM
LATAM
Sun Dreams is moving ahead with its plans to expand further into Latin America having agreed to the terms of a new US$150m loan through the BCI, BBVA, Banco Estado and Banco de Chile banks.
Te operation is part of the merger process of Dreams and Sun International as it seeks to expand in Latin America. Te Latin American operations of Sun International, including the Monticello in Chile, Ocean Sun Casino in Panama City and a project near completion in Colombia, will be merged in the deal which will see Sun International expanding its presence in the region.
In May it was announced that Sun and Dreams plan to invest US300m in Latin America, the lion’s share of which could be
invested in Peru according to corporate finance manager of Dreams Claudio Tessada. Mr. Tessada said that the three primary markets for the company will be Brazil, Peru and Chile, but the main focus in the near future will be in Peru due to uncertainties in the other two markets.
Sun Dreams it is believed will also be taking part in the upcoming tender process for the licenses in Chile and is to open a new casino in Panama. Sun Dreams operates six casinos in Chile and has expanded into Peru where it operates four smaller gaming establishments in Lima. In addition the company is to expand in the capital where the company is evaluating a possible large scale resort and casino, which would also encompass a slot parlour with an investment estimated to stand at around US$250m.
Te merger creates Latin America’s largest operator valued at around US$400m.
SOUTH AMERICA
ARGENTINA – International Game Technology has introduced its CrystalSlant, AXXIS 23/23 and AXXIS 3D cabinets to Argentina at Bingo Oasis Pilar as part of an agreement to install 100 IGT cabinets at the property.
“We’ve experienced a significant market response to our CrystalSlant, AXXIS 23/23, and AXXIS 3D cabinets in Latin America, and IGT is pleased to build upon this momentum by introducing these hardware solutions to Argentina,” said Florencia Bobbio, IGT Senior Sales Manager. “This deployment further solidifies IGT’s firm commitment to empowering Bingo Oasis Pilar with next-level gaming entertainment that is developed to increase player engagement and drive business forward.”
“Enhancing our property with IGT’s robust portfolio of cabinets and content enables us to modernize our casino environment while providing our valued patrons with new and exciting ways to experience gameplay,” said Diego Martinoli, Bingo Oasis Pilar Marketing Manager. “We are confident that IGT’s gaming innovations will help Bingo Oasis Pilar stand out as a premiere destination.” IGT’s CrystalSlant cabinet is a compact, upright hardware solution that comes in two versions, one with a 27-inch top box and one with a 32-inch top box.
Developed for compelling multi-game configurations, the company’s Axxis 23/23 offers an extensive game library featured on two 23-inch LCD screens. Players can experience glasses-free TRUE 3D gaming entertainment on the Axxis 3D cabinet with engaging titles such as Sphinx 3.
CHILE – Gaming Laboratories International experts traveled to Santiago, Chile recently to host customized training for Superintendencia de Casinos de Juego (SCJ), Chile’s casino regulator.
Chile is a jurisdiction widely recognised for its strong licensing process and highly professional industry. The SCJ continues to strive for excellence, and as part of its efforts, contacted GLI to provide expert and customized training for the gaming regulatory entity.
Produced through GLI’s world-renowned education program, GLI University®, the training was tailored to meet the jurisdiction’s specific needs as well as Chile standards requirements. With the training, the SCJ’s objective was to build on its inspectors’ and professionals’ knowledge in order to continue to guarantee regulation compliance in the region’s casinos, which, in turn, protects public trust, public order and due taxes. Proper compliance will also contribute to the regional development via effective supervision. All of these factors promote the development of an industry that is thoroughly regulated.
GLI’s Director of Latin America and Caribbean Government Relations and Business Development Karen Marcela Sierra-Hughes said: “We are grateful to the Superintendencia de Casinos de Juego de Chile, especially the Superintendent Daniel Garcia and the Division of Authorizations and Inspections, for choosing the GLI University program to fulfil their professional development needs.
NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE /
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