Consensus Building Around Gaming Act SOUTH AMERICA
Support is growing for new gaming legislation now being debated in committee stage in Brazil's Lower house with a number of new proposals up for debate
As the legalisation of gaming in Brazil draws closer, new proposals are being discussed, including the adoption of online gaming in the bill
BRAZIL LEGISLATION
DOMINCAN REPUBLIC – Residents have voted to reject the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino currently under construction in capital Santo Domingo.
Members of a number of neighbourhood councils have reiterated their rejection of the mega resort Hard Rock & Casino due to the negative impact that the largest casino in the city would have on what is a primarily a residential zone. Residents reiterated in a public hearing their objection to the height and density of the construction of the new casino and hotel, a 38-story tower in an area where they say buildings may only stand at 23 stories high.
After a number of hours of tense debate, in which residents outlined the negative consequences which they said the casino would bring to the area, the public debate over the issue was called off. Representatives of the Ministry of Environment have ordered the promoters of the project to present specific information on the design of the new casino specifically how it will impact the local community in a new public hearing.
In February a committee of school staff and residents in the neighbourhood of Piantini asked the Ministry of Finance to deny a licence for the casino which will be part of the Hard Rock Hotel. The establishment will have an area of 23,000 square feet, two bars, a race and sports book, 400 slot machines and 40 tables, plus a private room for high level players.
PANAMA – Gaming revenues in Panama during the first half of 2016 reached over US$40m according to the latest report released by the Panamanian Gaming Control Board (JCJ) of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF).
The Executive secretary of the Panamanian Gaming Control Board (JCJ) Eric Ríos told press that gaming tax revenue for the state remained steady. “Gaming remains at a good pace and it is estimated that on completion of 2016 could reach US$82m – similar to the figure achieved in 2015,” he said.
According to the report, from January to June this year revenue from slot machines classified as Type C in Panama (slot machines which may only pay a maximum of US$200 per machine in prizes)reached US$20,800,000 while revenue generated by slot machines classed as Type A (slot machines which do not have a payout ceiling) reached US$5,933,000. Revenue generated by fully fledged casinos meanwhile stood at just over US$11,000,704. Revenue generated by international sports betting and grey hound racing stood at US270,000, bingo halls generated US$51,000 and online gaming revenue stood at US$20,000.
P14 NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE /
247.COM
A new draft was put forward to the Special Committee in the House of Representatives by Deputy Guilherme Mussi (right), which incorporates text from the previous bill and would allow for online gaming - an aspect that been largely absent from the debate so far. According to Deputy Mussi online gaming would be permitted and would be authorised on the federal, state or municipal level.
Te Deputy also highlighted a number of aspects to the latest draft of the bill including the legalisation of the so called ‘Jogo do Bicho’ or ‘Animal Game,’ which is currently illegal. Tis he said would ‘create jobs’ and generate revenue “for municipalities, the states and the union.”
Deputy Mussi also highlighted the fact that that the new bill would allow for large scale integrated casinos and resorts and that casinos would only be permitted as part of hotels. However, the number of rooms the hotel would need in order to be eligible for a casino licence had yet to be agreed on, he said, as had the details of slot machine regulation. He did however introduce new stricter measures for non compliance including jail terms and fines for those who prevented entry to onsite inspectors as part of the new bill.
Colombia
Global Bet has signed a partnership with South America’s leading sports betting operator, Spingol, to include its Virtual Sports offering in their gaming portfolio. Te agreement will see Global Bet´s full product range of Virtual Sports and Number Games integrated into Spingol´s platform and will be available in all the markets where the company operates. With Colombia the first regulated market in South America, and other neighboring countries following soon, Global Bet´s CEO, Daniel Grabher, commented: “Tis partnership between Spingol and Global Bet has enabled us together to position ourselves as a leading player across this emerging continent, providing the best and most comprehensive Sports Betting website in Latin America.”
While the bill seems to have reached a high level of consensus, long standing opponent of gambling Deputy Luiz Carlos Hauly said he would be voting against the new bill arguing that “compulsive gambling is as harmful to humans as drugs and alcohol." However Deputy Ricardo Tripoli said that there would only be three votes against the new bill out of the 26 members of the special committee.
With the changes introduced in this latest version of the report, the Chairman of the special committee, Deputy Elmar Nascimento said he believed that voting on the bill could take place in the coming weeks. Gaming laws he said had been stuck in congress for decades but after the work of the committee which began ten months ago “99 per cent” of the committee was now on board with the new proposals.
Gaming legislation is being debated in committee stage both in the Senate and the Lower House with momentum gathering in both legislative bodies. Last month it was revealed that Rodrigo Maia the newly appointed President of the Chamber of Deputies in Brazil was in support of new gaming legislation which would allow for large casinos as part of entertainment complexes and resorts.
Controversy over slots play outside of Chile’s casinos
Chile
Head of the Chilean Gaming Control Board (SJC) Daniel García has emphasised the fact that there are clear rules in place when it comes to the existence of gaming machines outside of casinos. Mr. García said that it was “wrong” to claim there was a legal vacuum when it came to gambling machines in slot parlours and small businesses and that rules regarding their operation had been made only recently.
García made the comments in response to the proposals and statements put forward by Te Association of Operators, Manufacturers and Importers of Electronic Entertainment an
interest group for the SWP (Skill with Prizes) industry; (FIDEN). According to the proposal all SWP machines would be monitored, controlled and taxed by a new regulator and would be bound by municipal ordinances.
FIDEN proposes a five per cent tax on all revenue made by all gambling machines located outside of casinos. Te Vice President of FIDEN Sebastián Salazar, said that the law aims to put the “industry into order” so that all slots operate according to the rules.”
New laws were needed, he said, due to the fact that there was “an absence of legislation.” Mr. Garcia reacted strongly to the claim: “Tere is clear, current and recent regulation for the operation of gambling, therefore it is incorrect to indicate that there is no regulation.”
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