Around the end of 2021, the online gaming industry got a glimpse of the possibility of a newly regulated market in South America: an invoice signed by Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Poe He entered the Senate in November. However, the official initiative raised concerns even among supporters, such as Cabildo Abierto (Open Cabildo), one of the five parties of Uruguay’s ruling coalition.
“Instead of critics, these are contributions to the project made by the executive. Our goal is to address some of the things that have been overlooked,” Uruguayan Member of Parliament for Maldonado Province, Sebastian Cal, Tell Yogonite In a video interview.
“Proposed legislation sent by the Executive to the Senate Does not include sports betting, which is managed in the country by a monopoly company. Online gambling has become an important support for gambling on Earth. It will be difficult for casinos to survive in the future without online gaming support“, he added.
When he mentions monopoly, he is referring to super match, which is a brand she manages Complex Bank. In a column published in newspaperAnd The former director of the lottery and quinillas, Luis Gama, also pointed out this difference between sports betting and internet casino, and He stressed the need to regulate the sector as a whole.
drawing, key
“Everyone who monopolizes this type of bet today pays no additional fees other than taxes paid by any other type of company. This is another point to deal with. We cannot require fees from companies that will settle in Uruguay (Editor’s note: a clear reference to Cipriani group) or of companies making a contribution of up to 8 million US dollars annually, as in the main casino in our management and I think also in the country, enjoy Punta del Este, and then exclude one of them from said rule.”
to forbid
Cal . suggests Input digital identification for the purpose of Setting limits for spotting gambling problems or potential money laundering schemes. He explained that “a person who earns 100 pesos a month cannot gamble 100 pesos a month because he will obviously leave his family without food” and “a person who earns $1,000 a month cannot gamble $10,000 a month.”
If coalition senators accept the proposed changes – which Cabildo Abierto’s party is promoting with Cal as a spokesperson – they could possibly be included in the executive bill. If not, Cabildo Abierto will introduce the proposed legislation in the Chamber of Deputies.
The legislator was clear about the goal he sought: “We want to protect investments and set clear and fair rules for those who invest in gambling. We cannot have a different set of rules for some and a different set of rules for others. Second, the For me, the prevention of problem gambling and money laundering are the most important issues. The main objective of this alternative project will undoubtedly be to protect both users and companies that may be interested in creating and acquiring a license for online games here in our country.”
Congressman Sebastián Cal and Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou.
Locking machines on the way
According to the deputy, the government has also lost the opportunity to regulate slot machines that operate outside of casinos, mostly in small neighborhood stores in high-risk areas. He anticipates two possible methods, ban or regulation, and leans towards the second. He suggests that the power to issue penalties or to regulate should lie with the municipalities.
“The worst option is the one on the table today, omission and omission to deal with the reality of 25,000 slot machines. Perhaps for some countries this number is not significant, but here the machines of all casinos, private and state-owned, are combined, there are between 5,000 and 6,000. In other words, we are talking about four times as many unregulated machines, which create unfair competition for those who invest in Uruguay or who invest in creating jobs in the country and pay fees.”
Senator Gustavo Benades of the National PartyThe group that leads the coalition has publicly announced that the bill signed by Lacalle Pou will have priority in this new legislative year. In order to achieve its goal, the government needs – warns Cal – the votes of the Cabildo Abierto party.
The exclusive video interview is available on Yogonet’s YouTube channel in Spanish.
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