Inside Asian Gaming

INSIDE ASIAN GAMING | September 2008 38 Market Overview Majestic, with 36 table games and 978 slot machines. Several salon- type establishments on the European model also are popular. These include the Caesar Park Panama Hotel and Crown Casino in Panama City,a tables-only venue offering baccarat,blackjack,poker and craps, and theMiramar InterContinental Hotel & Casino.Pari-mutuel betting at racetracks also is legal, and these also offer slot machines. Types of Gaming • Casinos • Card rooms • Lotteries • Pari-mutuel betting • Online gaming Leading Operators • CIRSA Casino Corp. • Thunderbird Resorts • Crown Casinos Panama • Codere Group PERU Forty-eight legal gambling facilities operate in Peru in 24 cities. The largest is the Atlantic City Casino in Miraflores, which has 500 slots and electronic gaming machines. The nation also is home to several popular lotteries and pari-mutuel and sports betting. Types of Gaming • Casinos • Card rooms • Lotteries • Horseracing • Sports betting Leading Operators • Promotora Inversiones Palace • Golden Investment • CIRSA Casino Corp. • Ritzio Entertainment URUGUAY There are 18 legal gambling venues in Uruguay in 15 cities.These consist of casinos and racetracks. The capital of Montevideo has the most, with two casinos containing a total of 500 slots and electronic gaming machines.The largest casino in the country is Conrad Resort & Casino Punta del Este, which features 80 table games and 640 slots and EGMs. Publicly owned lotteries also are popular, with revenues dedicated to funding good causes. The sector consists of instant tickets,sports betting and online terminals. Types of Gaming • Casinos • Card rooms • Lotteries • Pari-mutuel betting Leading Operator • Codere Group VENEZUELA There are five legal casinos in five cities in Venezuela. The largest is Gran Casino Margarita in Isla Margarita, containing 34 table games and 390 slots and EGMs. The government of President Hugo Chavez is hostile to the industry, however, and growth prospects are not considered especially good at this time. The Ministry of Tourism recently ordered the country’s Gaming Commission to suspend issuing new licenses for casinos,bingo halls and slot arcades for three years. The order also imposed tough new rules governing license renewals. Stricter auditing and improved tax collections also have been instituted. Types of Gaming • Casinos • Lotteries • Bingo • Slot machines Leading Operators • Grupo Comar • Thunderbird Resorts Reprinted with permission from International Gaming and Wa- gering Business (IGWB) magazine.