Chile: Casino Sol Calama was inaugurated last week

The 13th new casino project inaugurated involves a us$ 49.8 million investment, generates 600 permanent direct employments and complies with the norm set by the Casino Superintendence (SCJ) so new industrial standards related to technical and transparency issues as it happens in developed countries.

The Superintendent assured that “all the gaming material was revised and authorized by the Superintendence, and that all the games of chance machines are new, with its instructions is Spanish, and guarantee the player a percentage of prizes not less than the 85% of the total combination of possible plays”.

The 20% of the gross gaming incomes that new casinos must pay –specific gaming tax-, may just be invested in developments for society. So the Superintendent indicated that “estimations point that, during this year, Calama council and the regional government of Antofagasta will receive -each – around us$ 59,133 in concept of specific gaming tax”. He also pointed that “in the new industry, resources received may not be allocated to local or regional government administration, because they may just be investid in developments that benefit the population in a direct way, such as squares, public illumination, doctor’s offices.”

Casino Sol Calama will operate Sundays to Thursdays between 11.00 a.m. to 5.00 a.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6.00 a.m. The complete project involves a total investment of us$  49.8 million and the creation of 600 permanent direct employments. Besides, the casino will have 392 games of chance machines, 21 table games and 136 bingo positions, on top of a bar and a restaurant.

Additional developments, that have a maximum deadline on May 21th, 2010, consist in a five-star hotel with 117 rooms, a convention center, a meeting hall and business center; bowling, pool; spa, gymnasium, fitness center; restaurants, bars and pub/disco; an office building, commercial stores and an apart hotel.

Of the 18 casinos that comprise the new industry authorized in Chile, the 13 that are already operating are the ones in Antofagasta, Calama, Copiapó, Santa Cruz, Mostazal, Talca, Pinto (Termas de Chillán), Talcahuano, Los Ángeles, Temuco, Valdivia, Osorno and Punta Arenas. Besides, the remaining 5, which are in the materialization stage, are the ones in: Ovalle, San Antonio, Rinconada, Castro and Coyhaique.