Costa Rica Fears Iran's
Interest in Region:
Bookies Watch Closely
By Christopher Costigan,
Gambling911.com
Iran's interest in Latin
America is getting a
little too close to
home, and we are not
necessarily talking
about the United States.
The peaceful
military-free Central
American nation of Costa
Rica finds itself
surrounded by leftist
sympathizers of Iran's
President, Mahmoud
Ahmadinejad. Costa Rica
has the largest
concentration of online
gambling operators than
any other nation.
Unlike the revolutions
that tore apart much of
Central America during
the 1980's, sparing
Costa Rica, Iran's
influence is being felt
in all directions.
Costa Rica and Panama,
also home to a
scattering of online
gambling businesses, are
being squeezed by
countries that have
gradually become
accommodating to Iran
and its leader.
Venezuela, Bolivia,
Cuba, Nicaragua and
potentially Ecuador
(which has been at odds
with neighboring
Columbia in recent
weeks) appear to be
solidifying ties with
Ahmadinejad.
At first glance, Iran
seems to have little in
common with Latin
America. Trade and
economic relations are
rare, and the two
regions have different
cultural and religious
traditions, a report in
Friday's AM Costa Rica
suggests.
But Iran's President
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has
found common ground with
leftist leaders critical
of the United States and
its policy goals around
the world.
To help build alliances,
Iran has signed a series
of economic deals with
Bolivia, Cuba, Nicaragua
and Venezuela. This
week, Bolivia and Iran
agreed on joint projects
worth $1 billion,
including the
installation of three
Iranian-backed
television channels in
Bolivia.
Patrick Clawson, deputy
director for research at
the Washington Institute
for Near East Policy,
says the agreements are
driven by Iran's
political interests, and
not economic ones.
"That is why we see all
these economic
cooperation deals
signed, which make no
economic sense
whatsoever," he said.
"But both sides deeply
believe in them, and
both sides deeply
believe in the spread of
world revolution."
The report has many an
online bookmaker on
edge, fearing that
revolution could
eventually spread onto
Costa Rican soil.
Many know all too well
the consequences of
"extreme government
changes".
Before moving to Costa
Rica, Sportsbook.com had
previously shared a
quiet headquarters with
a handful of other
enterprising online
sports betting
operations including the
famed - and some might
say infamous - Margarita
International and
Skybook. Nine.com, now
owned and operated by
VIP Sports, also resided
on the once peaceful
island that legendary
Jimmy Buffet sang about.
But Margarita Island is
part of Venezuela. When
Hugo Chavez took over in
1998, it took some time
for operators to truly
understand the full
magnitude of his
chokehold on the
country. For the most
part, Margarita Island
had been insulated from
much of the poverty and
crime that had engulfed
the mainland. That was
about to all change.
"The tourists stopped
coming," a
representative for
Sportsbook.com first
told us when they were
in the process of moving
earlier this decade.
"There was no more money
being pumped into the
island and the living
conditions were
deteriorating."
Sportsbook.com fled the
island with its
computers and a handful
of the firm's more vital
staff.
University of Miami
Professor Jaime
Suchlicki said Iran and
its allies are seeking
to nurture other
like-minded politicians
across Latin America. He
says recent Iranian
support for candidates
in Latin American
elections has raised
concern about the impact
on democracy.
"They are taking
advantage of democracy
in Latin America," he
said. "They support
candidates and friends
at all levels and try to
bring them to power. So
the main challenge in
Latin America is how to
deal with growing
Iranian influence within
a democratic framework." |
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