Latin America regulatory roundup

New opportunities for the gaming industry continue to emerge, and Latin America is no different. As growth prospects in markets such as Costa Rica and Argentina arise, local regulators discuss the challenges they face, and their goals for the future.

In Costa Rica, the industry is still counting the cost of the Covid-19 closures. Esmeralda Britton, president of Junta de Protección Social (JPS) says this has forced the country's gambling regulator adapt and to create new market strategies.

Creating a digital channel for Costa Rica's paper lotteries during the pandemic showed the success of this ability to adapt, allowing 1.700 retailers to survive and to reach an audience that didn’t play prior to lockdown.

This highlights the potential of online gaming in Costa Rica. Over in Argentina, a province-by-province approach to regulation is opening up the market, and Mendoza is one of the early movers. Law 9.267 legalises all forms of igaming, including sports betting, and as president of the Instituto de Juegos y Casinos de Mendoza (IPLyC), Ida Lopez is responsible for overseeing the market.

There are three ways to operate online gaming in Mendoza; IPLyC itself is active, while operators can also bid for a ten-year licence, or enter through an inter-provincial agreement. Mendoza ultimately aims to offer between two and seven licenses.

A minimum of two has been agreed to avoid a monopoly, while a maximum of seven will best cater to all of the province's demographics, according to a recent market study. IPLyC is working towards implementing a strong regulation and will start the online gaming licensing process soon, as Lopez explains.