Costa Rica: Games of chance to be submitted to fiscal, police and tourist regulation

With regards to taxes, the plan aims to tax with a 2% the gross incomes of casinos and sportsbooks, defining them as the payment to players by bets in the country. This tax would generate the state around us$ 85 million a year, that will allow it to pay part of the us$ 1,033,413,710 allocated to general expenditures. These activities are generating us$ 14,500 million a year in the country.

The plan also aims casinos and sportsbooks to be under the regulation of a superintendence that would be integrated by officers of the Ministries of Economy, Security, Interior and Tourism and legal authorities. Their aim would be to combat money laundering and rule gaming activities, as well as punish and ban companies that operate in an illegal way.

Jenny Phillips, Minister of Economy, assured that the project would be sent to the Legislative Assembly by the end of the week or the beginning of the following week.

Despite the plan has not been released to the representatives yet, Liberación Nacional, Acción Ciudadana and Unidad Social Cristiana agree to support it. “We are sure this will be a beneficial project and, as long as it enters, it will not have many obstacles”, commented Oscar Núñez, representative of the official party.

Besides, Costa Rica Casino Association is unaware of the content of such project. However, they are in favour of the regulation of the activity, because they say that in the latest months they have been affected by international economic crisis. “The activity has decreased a 50%, and so we have less hours of work and have had to dismiss at least 500 employees”, commented Jorge Hidalgo, VP of Costa Rica Casino Association.

Nowadays, there are 46 casinos and 300 companies operating in Costa Rica -including call centers- that are part of the gaming and betting activities. The country does not receive any economic benefit from this industry so far.