Four licenses in Coquimbo, Viña del Mar, Pucón and Iquique are up for bid following early surrender of permits.
 

Key Points

Enjoy and Dreams returned licenses under early exit mechanism

New bids due by 24 July under revised financial conditions

Guaranteed annual payments drop by up to 75% in some locations
 

Chile’s Superintendence of Casinos has opened a new bidding process for casino operating licenses in four municipalities after operators Enjoy and Dreams opted to return their permits early. 

The new tender covers Coquimbo, Viña del Mar, Pucón and Iquique, with proposals due by July 24.

According to local reporting, both companies activated a mechanism allowing for the early surrender of licenses, which will result in their definitive exit from the affected markets within three years. 

The updated bidding terms require applicants to commit to tourism infrastructure development or expansion and to retain at least 80% of the existing workforce.

The most notable change lies in the minimum guaranteed annual payments, which have been significantly reduced compared to previous contracts. 

In Coquimbo, the annual contribution falls by 75%. In Iquique, the decrease reaches 71%, while Viña del Mar and Pucón see reductions of 52% and 51%, respectively.

The lower guarantees reflect the financial strain faced by Enjoy, whose license payments reportedly represented up to 50% of its revenues, contributing to its weakened financial position. 

However, some industry observers question whether the revised framework will be sufficient to attract new operators.

Former casino superintendent Francisco Leiva criticized certain requirements, including the obligation to maintain the full workforce, even in positions of trust. 

He warned that severance and labor-related costs would fall on incoming operators. 

Leiva also raised concerns over provisions requiring infrastructure to revert to municipalities at no cost after 15 years, stating that “if the bases are not revised, this bid is destined for failure.”

The tender comes amid scrutiny of Chile’s land-based casino sector, which has faced revenue volatility in recent years despite higher per-visit spending.

 

 

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