Operators of Chilean casinos seek for opportunities to invest in the region

At present, only Enjoy –that operates seven gambling venues in Chile- has an international presence: a casino that has a third of the market of Mendoza (Argentina) and a license in Croatia, where it has a smaller venue.

So far, Enjoy focuses on consolidation and is not looking for new places. Together with Canadian Clairvest, with which it operates Marina del Sol in Talcahuano, the family Imschenetzky, prepares for its internationalization. "We are considering other opportunities outside Chile", said the VP of Valmar Group, Nicolás Imschenetzky. "We are in negotiations. Some of them are advanced,” said the businessman. All of them in Latin America.

Valmar plans are also located in Chile. It will add new places in the country and asked authorization to the Casino Superintendence to enter to Osorno and Calama, where it is Clairvest.

Fischer Group –that operates casinos in Iquique, Temuco, Valdivia and Punta Arenas and, together with Enjoy, Puerto Varas- is also working to expand abroad. Claudio Fischer, executive president of the group, said: "We are in Peru through Advance Gamming, a company that operates around 1,000 slots in Lima,” The Peruvian legislation authorizes casinos and gambling venues that operate with slots, but do not allow poker tables or other similar betting systems with chips and croupier.”

The Fischer will bet in Peru. "We are evaluating to enhance our share, so we have been in talks with different regional actors. We are considering alternatives and  the industry to expand and operate our own slot halls and casinos".

Foreigners in Chile are also evaluating the region. IGGR, partners in Monticello, will start the construction of a casino in Costa Rica in December, and they are in anothe similar process in Ecuador, said Francis Raineau, president of IGGR Chile. Austrian group Novomatic, also in Monticello with operations in Peru, has something in mind. "We are evaluating the situation, but it is too soon to say anything,” affirmed the manager director, Jens Halle.

Argentine Ivisa, that operates in San Antonio, is opening a new venue in San Juan (Argentina) and wants a casino in Peru, informed Gabriel Rosenzvit, president of the group.

The most aggresive plan is Egasa’s: "We have other three casino projects in Colombia, two in Medellín and one in Barranquilla. We have another for Lima and one in Panama, with an hotel to be operated by Ritz Carlton", said José González, its president. "We want to consolidate our investments in Chile and, once this aim is complied, we want to plan investments in Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil", said Marcelo D'Amato, VP of Corporate Development of Latin Gaming, today in Osorno, Calama and Arica.

Spanish Egasa –which operates the casino in Copiapó- has a millionaire project for Arica, where the casino is already operating under the local tender, operated by Latin Gaming.

According to the president of the group, José González, supported by Law Arica, which allows the installation of several gambling venues, as long as they are connected with touristic projects, Egasa will invest us$ 80 million, "although maybe I need more resources for the construction of a resort, four buildings with 450 homes, a five-star hotel of almost 130 rooms and a casino similar to the one in Copiapó".

The project that also includes a 8,000 sqm tower of offices in 12 floors, a commecial boulevard and a convention center, has already been presented to the city council and  its draft bill is approved. The construction is in the first stage –an apartment and office building- and would start during the second semestre of 2010, and in 2011 it would start the construction of the rest of the complex, including a casino boulevard and a hotel. The complex is called Arica City Center and will be located where it now operates the Hotel El Paso.

Besides, although Brazil does not allow casinos, that could change. A commission of the Chamber of Representatives of Brazil approved some days ago the regulation of the casino and bingo operation. According to the proposal, the casino installation will be restricted to the north, north-east and center-west of the country. Francis Raineau, of IGGR, says that "Brazil is a requested market for the actors of the gaming industry and we are interested, as long as the law is clear.”

“Brazil has been in our agenda in the latest 21 years and it seems there is something more concrete this year,” said Jens Halle, of Novomatic. Besides, Enjoy said that Brazil is attractive for any business, although it is hazardous to talk without a concrete reform.