85% of bingo and casinos are illegal in Venezeula

A total of 58 companies, of the 77 registered in the National Commission for Casinos, Bingo Halls and Slots are not up to date with their formal rights and fines imposed during the period 2003-2009, resulting in a debt to the nation of over 635 million Bolivars (147.7 million dollars).

Therefore, the Deputy Minister of Prevention and Public Safety, Nestor Reverol, and the Superintendent of the National Integrated Customs and Tax Administration (Seniat), José David Cabello, urged these companies to "catch up.” Both officials highlight that 85% of bingo halls and casinos in the country are illegal.

Reverol and Cabello visited Barcelona area, where 1,431 machines and electronic cards were destroyed as part of the work of the commission against the illegality, after a series of procedures across the country. In his presentation, the Deputy Minister noted that 40% of companies registered with the commission have their documents expired and have not applied for renewal.

Meanwhile, 30 of the legal licensees are operating through a constitutional injunction issued by the Supreme Court in 2003, which will also be subject to revision. Reverol, who chairs the committee, said that in this first phase the entity destroyed 784 seized machines and 647 who found abandoned or from customs.

Reverol Deputy Minister urged Cámara de Bingos y Afines (CAVEBIN) to ask its members to catch up with the state and meet the standard. In a statement published in the national press (03/16/2011) CAVEBIN sent a letter on this issue to President Hugo Chávez.