The data of the entity, assigned to the Ministry of Economy and Finances, pointed that, in the third quarter of 2008, betting was U$S 818 million. Most of this percentage (us$ 771 million) corresponded to casinos and slots.
The operators’ income of this type of business, privatized in the last decade, increased in 2008 to us$ 200 million.
In Panama there are 16 casinos and 27 slot halls, the most searched places by bettors. The growth of the national gambling industry was connected to the development of tourism and the construction of hotels, dedicated to attend this type of business.