After eight years of deliberations, senators in Costa Rica have finally made up their minds on the Regulation and Restriction of Casinos. Important new controls to prevent money laundering will be implemented, as well as restricting to eighteen hours a day that a casino may function. At present the casinos in the Central American country are open 24-hours; a further change to regulations will mean that each working shift will be reduced to six hours. This was an unexpected move finally agreed after much opposition.

Also questioned was the tax increase imposed on casinos, although there was support for the regulations that establish controls with other organizations to maintain vigilance against suspicious transactions from possible money laundering activities. One legislator, Carlos Herrera, commented that the reduction of opening hours and the increase in taxation for casino businesses would have a detrimental affect on the generation of employment.

The president of the Commission on gaming regulations, Laura Chinchilla, has said that a lot of effort went into finding the middle of the road that would get the new legislation approved, and that everyone had given a little ground. She added that it had been hard work on all aspects, from deciding on permitted table numbers to working hours and taxation, and that the new regulations were needed to fill the present vacuum. The draft law started its legal course in 1997 and has finally been agreed upon by members of all parties in government.

Gaming was previously regulated under a law stemming from August 1922 and required modernization to cover the advances in technology. Costa Rica wanted a law that would ensure public order, security and good practice. Slot machines have, under the old requirements, been paying ‘derisory’ taxes. Annual gaming table tax has now been set at 20% and each slot machine will pay the equivalent of three basic wages monthly. (E-09.26.05)

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