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BetUS.com Leaving Costa Rica
Dozens of Costa Rican employees
were laid off by one of the
online gambling industry's
largest companies, BetUS.com,
which is the latest group to
significantly downsize its Costa
Rica operations.
Bodog.com announced similar
plans last month.
Costa Rica has served as the
Mecca of online gambling
catering to the North American
market since 1996.
The industry suffered a major
blow when BetonSports.com, with
its close to 1.500 employees,
shut down during the summer
following the arrest of its CEO
in the U.S.
The Costa Rican online gambling
industry is believed to employ
well over 5.000 people in some
capacity. It is one of the
nation's largest industry after
telecommunications and tourism,
though some would argue at its
peak, online gambling was bigger
than the two.
Operators fear that the Costa
Rican government is not
committed to protecting the
industry from pressures brought
on by the US Justice Department.
BetUS.com maintains a marketing
office in Vancouver. Rumors have
surfaced that a new call center
will be opening soon in Panama,
Antigua or Curacao.
A conference call ended this
afternoon with the layoff of a
few dozen employees.
The NFL has reportedly sent
BetUS.com a cease and desist
order to stop using its images
in advertisements and on the
BetUS.com website.
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