Wire SOUTH AMERICA
Two new taxes could be created for gaming and betting operators: the Gaming and Betting Inspection Fee and the Economic Intervention Contribution.
BRAZIL LEGISLATION Casino Bill up for Committee Discussion
Bill PL 442/91 has been passed in the lower house and is now in the senate under the name draft Law No. 2234/2022.
LatAm - Entain ordered to leave markets The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), the principal public agency for conducting criminal prosecutions in England and Wales, has ordered Entain to leave a number of Latin American gaming markets. The CPS entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) with Entain to settle the HM Revenue & Customs investigation into the company and its group.
The conduct which is the subject of the DPA relates to the alleged failure by GVC to prevent bribery contrary to Section 7 of the Bribery Act 2010 between July 2011 and December 2017. The alleged bribery offences occurred primarily in Turkey. GVC disposed of its Turkish business in December 2017. Entain has agreed to pay a financial penalty plus disgorgement of profits totalling £585m, to make a charitable donation of £20m and to pay a contribution of £10m to the CPS and HMRC costs.
Clause 32 states that “Entain shall exit all gambling markets in which it is currently operating and which markets are not yet subject to gambling regulation within 12 months” of the exit date. For the avoidance of doubt, those markets are identified in Annex B to the DPA. Specifically, the CPS named Mexico, Brazil, Chile and Peru as the markets in question.
Uruguay - Slot bill put forward in Senate Senator Sergio Botana has put forward a bill that would legalise slot machines outside of casinos and slot parlours. The senator told El País that the aim of the bill is “regulate the inevitable” and prevent the entry of drug traffickers into the market. Botana said that he was confident that the initiative would gain enough support as he has discussed project “with all political actors, government authorities and the private sector... I spoke with all the actors involved and it is recognised that there is a risk that some groups linked to drug trafficking are part of the business.”
The law, if approved, would permit slot machines in licensed commercial premises, such as pubs, bars, restaurants and hotels, with a maximum of up to 25 machines for each site. The bill also set the maximum number of slots that can be permitted to operate in the country at 25,000. The minimum number of machines awarded to each operator would be 50 and the maximum would be 500 if the bill is approved.
Only individuals who own the machines that are registered with the General Tax Directorate (DGI) will be able to operate slots and they “must prove solvency, suitability and uninterrupted permanence in the activity in the last six years” from the enactment of the law. The owners of the operating companies may only be legal or natural citizens and must have no criminal records.
P10 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS
Te Constitution and Justice Commission (CCJ) is set to vote on bill PL 2234/22. Te bill (PL 442/91) was passed in the lower house and is now in the senate under the name draft Law No. 2234/2022. Te text replaces as many as 20 other gambling related projects all of which have been discussed over many years.
Te bill can go forward as Senator Irajá's report was in favour of approving the proposal. According to the Senate news agency, the text authorises the installation of casinos in tourist centres or integrated leisure complexes, under the limit of one casino in each state and the Federal District, with the exception of São Paulo, which may have up to three casinos, and Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Amazonas and Pará, in which the limit for each state is two casinos.
According to the proposal, gaming houses will also be able to operate on sea and river vessels. Te casino must demonstrate a minimum paid- up share capital of at least R$100m and may be allowed to operate for 30 years.
Argentina Necochea casino could still be sold
Te mayor of Necochea, Arturo Rojas, told press that he was looking at the possibility of resuming the sale process of the once well known Necochea casino on the Atlantic coast. However, it could be some time before the sale is launched and it will depend on a number of factors.
“Tere are issues that do not depend directly on us. Te settlement of slot machines depends on the Province, through the Lottery and Casinos (institute). We will see now, with the rearrangement of officials, what the decision of the Province is, which will surely be to advance in the bidding (for the slots), which will open a door for us to be able to make a new call for bids from the municipality,” he told TV programme, El Ciudadano.
“Te political decision is the same one we had back in 2020, looking for investors from the municipality that will allow us to recover and rebuild it, in addition to carrying
out urban development with private financing and funds,” he said.
Te government has been trying to sell the complex where the casino is located for three years and two tenders have failed. Te casino reopened in January 2023 under the control of the local government for the summer season and during limited hours only after three years of negotiations and building work. One potential investor is local operator Casinos Victoria. According to press, authorities from the firm Casinos Victoria has visited the spa city and toured the casino's gaming room.
Necochea is located in the southwest of Buenos Aires Province on the Atlantic coast. Constructed in 1973 and located on the beachfront, the building also houses cafes, a shopping arcade, a bowling alley, a bar, a billiard room, a skating rink as well as the casino.
Te proposal also establishes rules for both traditional bingo and electronic bingo, and allows each state the accreditation of one legal entity for every 700 thousand inhabitants to operate bingo. In the case of bingo, the license will be valid for 25 years, renewable for the same period. Horse racing may be operated by tourism entities accredited by the Ministry of Agriculture, which may also be accredited to operate, at the same time, bingo and video bingo games.
According to the proposal, two new taxes will be created and must be paid by licensed gaming and betting operators: the Gaming and Betting Inspection Fee (Tafija) and the Economic Intervention Contribution levied on the commercialisation of games and bets (Cide- Jogos). Te forecast is that Cide-Jogos will have a tax rate of up to 17 per cent on the gross revenue of betting companies. Te project also aims to put in place the implementation of a registry of people who will be prevented from placing bets and entering gaming houses.
Mexico
Grupo Caliente has expanded its game offering with the addition of over 100 machines featuring two of Zitro’s most successful titles: Fu Frog and Fu Pots, housed on the Illusion Glare and Allure Glare cabinets, respectively.
Both games feature the GRAND MEGA jackpot, elevating the gaming experience and showcasing an innovative mechanic. Tese new games bring three features: one that multiplies winnings, another that doubles prizes, and a third that awards extra lives.
Johnny Ortiz Viveiros commented: “We’d like to express our gratitude to Grupo Caliente for renewing their trust in Zitro. We truly value the ongoing loyalty they’ve shown. Fu Frog and Fu Pots stand out as must-have gaming experiences.” Grupo Caliente added: “Our customers are loving Fu Frog and Fu Pots. With these new Zitro machines, we’re staying true to our strategy of offering the latest and greatest in the market.”
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