Reports
CARIBBEAN - DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Dance a yard before you dance abroad
Situated just two hours south of Miami by plane the Dominican Republic boasts some 50 miles of the world’s top beaches, a rich colonial heritage, a thriving outdoor and eco-tourism industry as well as many world class-resorts and hotels. It also is the number one golf destination in the Caribbean and Latin America. It’s big on casinos too...
Visitor numbers to Domincan Republic are projected to have reached a very impressive six million by the end of 2016, while government officials announced at last year’s (2016) Dominican Annual Tourism Exchange Conference (DATE) a growth of 5.8 per cent in overall tourism. Tis means that Te Dominican Republic is now the most popular and fastest growing tourist destination in the Caribbean.
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Te country already has over 47 casinos, more than any other country in the Caribbean, with the existing Hard Rock casino in Punta Cana being the largest and some of the other most important operators in the world are already present, including CIRSA. In addition, with the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino currently under construction in capital Santo Domingo, the market looks set to expand even further.
However, while tourism continues to expand, the gaming industry faces a number of major challenges and obstacles to growth. Opposition is growing against the opening of the new casino in Sant Domingo, illegal gaming is still on the rise and taxes are high. Shockingly the industry was also rocked last year by an alleged attempted murder involving one of the biggest operators in the country.
LEGAL BACKGROUND Gaming is regulated by three major gaming laws.
Law No.351 which was passed in 1964, Law No.96-88 which was passed in 1988 and Law No.29-06 which was passed in 2006. Broadly speaking Law No.315 allowed casino gaming in the Dominican Republic.
Law No. 96-88 allowed casinos to house slot machines in order to further boost revenues for the state and Law No.29-06 significantly increased the tax burden on casinos and the gaming industry. It also permitted slot machines in sports betting shops. Gaming laws are also frequently amended primarily in order to raise taxes on the industry.
Law No. 351, which was the first bill to regulate gaming in the Dominican Republic, states that
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