Ecuador: The last casinos and bingo halls closed doors last Friday

According to the Casino and Bingo Association (Ascabi), in the Main Port seven casinos operated before the decree, which employed around 800 people. During Thursday night, it closed Casino Sol, located in a hotel complex in the Northern part of the city. At 4 a.m., the gambling venue closed in the midst of the uneasiness of the employers. Most of them said they did not have alternative work options.
 
The national authorities gave a last closure deadline for March 16th, and rejected to extend the stipulated period. Previously, 24 casinos had closed their doors. The conclusion of all those activities has left around 3,000 people unemployed, although some weeks ago their were given training courses in other activities.

Eight casinos were open until last Friday, mainly operating in five-star hotels. In the center of the city, the casino belonging to Hotel Oro Verde closed last Friday at midnight. The trade union said that it still doesn’t know what will happen with the employees after the severance pay. Other venues located in 9 de Octubre Avenue and around Parque Centenario also stopped operating. Some venues have been modified and converted into other businesses, such as the bingo hall located in 9 de Octubre Avenue and Rumichaca, which is being refurbished since November.

One of the most visited places in the city, bingo Don Toribio, closed last Thursday. This bingo hall employed 63 people, most of them with more than 3 years of work, according to administrator Norma Procel. The place was full in its last night. It used to have 400 customers during the week-days, but the last day, it received around 800 visitors. As a farewell ceremony, the business played all its accumulated jackpots, which were around us$ 5,000.