Wire SOUTH AMERICA
Te proposed merger between Dreams and Enjoy was set to create the largest player in the casino industry in Chile and one of the largest in South America.
CHILE CASINO OPERATOR Dreams and Enjoy Pull Plug on Merger
Amidst growing claims both parties planned to divide 12 casino licences between themselves and another local operator, the merger has collapsed.
Brazil - Instants set for green light The government is preparing a decree that would bring back the sale of instant lottery Lotex. The government wants to use the ONCE lottery (the lottery in aid of the blind in Spain) as a model.
The sales network in Brazil, according to the new plans, would be made up by sellers with disabilities and could be used as a way to include people with disabilities in the job market. Lotex would also be available online. According to local press, the government hopes to raise as much as to R$5bn through the new scheme per year.
The Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) a federal public company associated with the Ministry of Development, Industry, and Trade and the main financing agent for development in Brazil first oversaw the privatisation of CAIXA’s instant lottery arm.
Public tenders for selecting the operator lasted years and were abandoned several times due to a lack of interest. After the successive presentations of Lotex to international investors the government made the first auction attempt in July 2018 but had to postpone it because of low interest..
Paraguay – Calls for enactment of slot bill Deputy Ángel Paniagua has recommended the approval of a draft declaration that would force the gambling board (Conajzar) and municipal governments to adhere to a gambling law that was passed a year ago.
In June 2022 President Mario Abdo Benítez enacted a new that prohibited slot machines outside of slot parlours and casinos. The draft of Paniagua’s bill “urges the gambling board and all the municipalities of the country to immediately comply with the provisions contained in Law No. 6.903/21 – which establishes protection measures for minors against the influence of slot machines.”
Deputy Paniagua indicated that the objective of the bill was to protect children and adolescents from the risks that may arise from slot machines that operate outside of casinos. The lawmaker added that slots in shops and small businesses were still widespread.
His comments came after the Municipal Board of the city of Ayolas announced that it intended to act against the increase of underage players gambling via street slots. The President’s bill bans slots outside of specially legalised gambling zones such as casinos and slot parlours. If enacted, it would have a major impact on how slots are regulated and end an existing agreement between Conajzar and slot operator iCrop.
P6 WIRE / PULSE / INSIGHT / REPORTS
Dreams and Enjoy have scrapped their ambitious plans to merge with both companies stating to Chile’s Financial Markets Commission that ‘the process is to be abandoned.’
Te end of the merger follows several delays by Chile’s national competition authority (FNE) and amidst growing claims that the companies had worked together in order to divide 12 casino licenses amongst themselves and another local operator – Marina del Sol.
Te decision to abort the merger comes as the casino sector in Chile is facing up to extra scrutiny with the National Economic Prosecutor’s Office opening an investigation into collusion into the bidding processes for several casinos in Chile, including Marina del Sol.
Tis saw the FNE raid the homes of the President of Marina del Sol, Nicolás Imschenetzky, the President of Enjoy, Henry Comber, the General Manager of
Colombia Coljuegos president to be replaced
Political infighting over health reform has led the Colombian President Gustavo Petro to order the resignation of the president of Coljuegos.
Te information was revealed by W Radio via sources in the Department of the Presidency. Te president’s request is part of a reshuffle as a number of vice ministers, affiliated with the El Partido de la Unión por la Gente (U), Liberal and Conservative parties have been asked to resign due to their failure to support his health reform bill.
Roger Carrillo, a member of the Conservative party, was only put in charge of Coljuegos in March 2023. Carrillo was nominated for the position by the president of the Conservative Party, Efraín Cepeda.
Carrillo’s appointment was controversial as he was caught up in the middle of a political scandal for an alleged case of impersonation. According to local
press it was alleged that he posed as another politician called Roberto Pérez, who was a competitor for the same post as head of the board. Press reports say that Carrillo pretended to be Pérez and criticised the government in a statement in an alleged effort to get him out of the way in the fight for the post.
In February, President Petro presented a controversial health reform to lawmakers which his government says will improve primary care, expand access to treatment, raise healthcare worker salaries and fight corruption. His plans to create a more state controlled system were met with opposition from members of his own cabinet who warned that the reforms would be too costly. Tis led to a cabinet reshuffle in March.
Colombia’s first leftist president took office in August 2022. His health reform is one of several key initiatives that he wants to push through to fight inequality.
Dreams, Jaime Wilhelm, and the now former manager of the Chilean Association of Casinos de Juegos (ACCJ), Rodrigo Guíñez, to take phones. computers and electronic devices, as it looked to prove alleged coercion and coordination in the casino tenders.
Dreams would have held a majority shareholding in the combined group of 64 per cent with the merger uniting 58 per cent of the land-based casino licences in Chile and 76 per cent of Chile’s GGR from 2019.
Te merger had faced issues from the competition authority in Chile who had raised concerns over the merged entity taking full ownership of Chile’s municipal casinos. Te casino groups tried to appease the Commission for the Financial Market with an offer to offload the Enjoy Santiago casino. It was hoped that offloading the Rinconada casino would reduce the company’s position in the Santiago metropolitan region and would be enough to satisfy the FNE.
Puerto Rico
Te Ponce Plaza Hotel and Casino in Puerto Rico is preparing to celebrate its 15th anniversary after completing a US$10m renovation of its facilities, including its lobby and 69 rooms.
Te general manager of the casino, Ramón Muñoz-Grajales, stated that, among the remodelled areas, are the Lola Eclectic Cuisine restaurant and the 16,500-square-foot Casino de la Plaza. Te casino is expected to create 200 new direct jobs, a significant increase from the current workforce of 30 people.
Te expanded casino area will offer “more services, more entertainment and more fun ,” Ramón Muñoz-Grajales said. Tis includes the return of the “Viva Casino Bar” and the integration of sports betting, a new dance floor and stage. Muñoz-Grajales also announced the acquisition of a property adjacent to the hotel that will
serve as parking for hotel visitors.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86
