Russian Casino Not
Welcome in Costa Rica,
VP Says
The Arias government
says that if the Russian
casino group, Storm
International BV,
complies with all the
current regulations it
cannot be stopped from
setting up shop in Costa
Rica, according to the
country's
vice-president, Laura
Chinchilla.
In an interview with the
Spanish language daily,
Al Día, Chinchilla said
that the government is
moving quickly to revise
the "Reglamento de Juego"
and to stop the Russian
group from coming to
Costa Rica, which is
expected by July.
The Russians made the
headlines when they
decided to move shop to
Costa Rica after Russia
placed restrictions on
casinos operating in
major urban areas like
Moscow. Storm
International became
embroiled in controversy
when it announced it
would set up shop in
Costa Rica and refused
to divulge the names of
its Costa Rican
partners.
The group is rumoured to
be eyeing Escazú as a
possible location for
its mega casino
operation, however, the
mayor of Escazú, Marco
Antonio Segura Seco,
said yesterday that he
had not received any
request for a casino in
his municipality.
Vice-president
Chinchilla was adamant
that the type of
business proposed by the
Russians is not welcome
in Costa Rica. The
current casinos are
there because of a
vacuum in the current
laws and the government
is making sure that
casinos are part of a
hotel, that is the main
function of the business
is a hotel and not a
casino, and there will
be no excuse once the
new regulations are in
place.
Chinchilla added that
the current casinos now
operating in the country
will have to remain,
otherwise they would
have to be compensated
if forced shut. The
vice-president added
that Costa Ricans don't
want to see the country
overrun by casinos and
the revised regulations
will strictly enforce
the percentage of hotel
flood space dedicated to
casino activity and will
be strict on how their
operate.
Chinchilla added that
the new regulations will
be ready next week and
that she hopes to have
it approved after Semana
Santa. The changes will
be by way of a
government decree,
adding that if the
changes were to go to
the Legislative
Assembly, nothing would
happen.
Asked if the Russians
could operate in Costa
Rica, Chinchilla
responded by saying "diay,
sí, if they comply with
the regulations", adding
that she did not know at
what stage the Russians
are at in their plans.
Michael Boettcher is the
man behind the Russian
move into Costa Rica and
as asked to meet with
government officials to
discuss his plans and
offered his assistance
to the government to
create the new
regulations.
"No, no, no, muchas
gracias", said,
Chinchilla, adding that
the government has
already defined the new
regulations regarding
casinos.
Chinchilla said that she
is well informed so as
to know what is good for
the country and believes
the Russians committed a
grave error in saying
that they were coming to
Costa Rica because in
Russia the activity will
now be regulated. The
message they sent to the
world is that "come to
Costa Rica because there
is no regulation", said
Chinchilla who is
adamant to avoid that.
Asked if some casinos
look more like a brothel
that a casino,
Chinchilla answered "claro,
que si", saying that a
number of hotels,
specifically one
downtown location,
though not mentioning
the name of the hotel,
where it is more a
brothel, full of
prostitutes, calling it
a disaster and a shame. |
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