Wire SOUTH AMERICA
Each licensed company will be able to run three online betting platforms. Foreign companies will require a Brazilian partner with 20 per cent capital share.
BRAZIL LEGISLATION Senate Making Headway on Betting Bill
Brazil’s sports betting bill is continuing to make progress in the senate following approval by members of the Economic Affairs Committee.
Chile - Public Ministry dismisses complaints Chile’s Public Ministry has decided to dismiss the criminal complaints filed by land based casinos and the lottery (Polla Chilena de Beneficencia) against online betting houses. The complaint dates back more than two years.
According to Chilean media, the Public Ministry will officially report its decision to “not persevere” in this investigation in March 2024 due to a lack of evidence. Lawyer for the online betting platforms Betano, Betsson, BetWarrior, Coolbet and Latamwin, Carlos Baeza, welcomed the news saying that the Public Ministry was the only authority empowered by law to determine the criteria for criminal prosecution for the whole country.
“This marks a significant milestone for the operation of online betting platforms in the country, confirming our legality from a criminal point of view, something that has already been supported in several legal reports,” he said.
Baeza stated that “after an investigation of almost two years, with more than 1,600 pages of detailed information on companies, names of representatives, addresses and owners of online betting platforms duly identified in the investigative folder, the Public Ministry has determined that the requirements to justify the accusation of a criminal offense are not met, which has led to the decision to archive the records. This shows that our operation today does not constitute any illegal activity.”
Baeza went on to say that “the decision of the Public Ministry provides peace of mind to all those who are linked to online betting platforms, because it sets a precedent with respect to the rest of other authorities that, without having any power, have questioned and threatened users of committing a crime, as well as those who advertise or promote them. Online betting is not prohibited in our legislation and this decision confirms it from a criminal point of view.”
Argentina - Mendoza installs IGT Floor Manager International Game Technology recently installed its Floor Manager systems technology at Casino of Mendoza in Godoy Cruz, in the province of Mendoza, Argentina, marking the solution’s first deployment in the region. The technology is deployed on all of the casino’s IGT slot cabinets and will enable Casino of Mendoza to optimise its gaming floor and quickly access IGT’s video slots library
Alejandro Haure, Casino of Mendoza General Manager, said: “By tracking real-time game performance analytics and facilitating seamless system updates and upgrades, Floor Manager enables us to meet the evolving demands of our slot players and effectively transform our floor.”
P10 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS
Brazil’s sports betting bill is continuing to make progress in the senate now that members of the Economic Affairs Committee (CAE) have approved the report by Senator Angelo Coronel.
Te senator proposed a number of changes to PL 3626/23 all of which were approved by members of the committee. While licence fees remained unchanged at R$30m the committee agreed to reduce the federal tax rate on GGR from 18 per cent, halved the tax on player winnings and increased the duration of licenses to five years as opposed to three as had been initially outlined in the version of the bill as drafted in the lower house.
In addition, each licensed company will be able to run three online betting platforms according to the new proposals. Meanwhile, a foreign company will need to have a Brazilian partner holding at least 20 per cent of the company’s share capital in order to operate in Brazil.
Te Senate Sports Commission (CEsp) and the Committee on Economic Affairs (CAE) had both
been charged with examining the bill. Te approval of the text in the CAE could well be one of the last stages of the bill in the senate. Earlier this month the CEsp voted in favour of the official report on Brazil’s sports betting bill. Te report was filed by the bill’s rapporteur Senator Romário.
Te reports differ in certain aspects. For example the CEsp kept the tax rate at 18 per cent GGR and put in place advertising restrictions something that has been rejected by the CAE. Both committees agree though on extending the duration of licenses to five years from three and both agree on allowing one licence holder to run three online betting platforms.
According to local press Senator Jorge Kajuru will be the rapporteur of the bill in the plenary. He will need to bring together the suggestions approved by both commissions and put a revised version of the bill forward for a vote. It will then need to go back to the Chamber of Deputies. Ultimately, they will have the final say on the matter.
Mexico
Uruguay President suppports private investment
President Luis Lacalle Pou has come out in support of the expansion of the privately run casino sector. After a press conference on national issues, he was consulted by local newspaper Carmelo Portal over the future tender of the Hotel Casino Carmelo.
Lacalle Pou offered a detailed explanation of the steps that the state has followed for several years to reach the bidding process saying that “now is the time for private players.” He pointed out that the Uruguayan government had completed preparations for the tender and that the response would depend on market interest.
Remo Monzeglio Vice Minister of Tourism, highlighted President Lacalle Pou’s interest in moving forward with the tender: “Te President detailed in the meeting he had with Carmelo Portal, all aspects of the situation at the
Hotel Casino Carmelo. At our next meeting, which will take place in 10 days, we will address the current status of the file that is currently with the OPP (Office of Planning and Budget OPP) for legal approval,” Monzeglio said.
Te comments come just days after Monzeglio reported that the bidding document had been thoroughly examined on two occasions by the government organisations, including the Ministry of Tourism, the Ministry of Economy, the Municipality of Cologne and the Office of Planning and Budget . Each entity has contributed changes and suggestions to ensure that the document reflects all perspectives.
“We are committed to transparency and completeness in this process,” said Monzeglio. “Each modification has been carefully considered to ensure that the document is clear.”
Senator Alejandro Rojas Díaz Durán has put forward a new proposal that would reform Mexico’s Betting and Raffles Law and would allow for the opening of casinos in Acapulco. Te senator wants casinos to be given the green light in order to attract investment after Hurricane Otis made landfall in October.
Te senator said that the change to the gambling law would create an exclusive economic zone for the establishment of “regulated” casinos.“I see in this misfortune the opportunity to rethink this destination, so that it becomes – convert it again as it was in the sixties – into a world- class tourist destination,” he said.
However, the proposal was met with fierce opposition from some who argued that casinos would be used by organised crime in order to launder money. Acapulco’s reputation has suffered for years under a wave of violent crime.
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