United States and Costa Rica Market

Costa Rica is historically closely related to the United States in tourism, business, and entertainment consumption culture. For the gambling industry, this means not only a stable flow of a solvent audience, but also the import of service standards, marketing, payments and compliance. The influence of the United States is manifested in offline casinos at hotels, in sports and entertainment formats, in the digital habits of guests and in the requirements for transparency of operations.

U.S. Channels of Influence

1) Tourism and expats.

On the coast of Pacifica (Jaco, Tamarindo, Santa Teresa) and in the metropolitan cluster of San Jose, a significant proportion of guests are Americans. Hence - the focus on the English-language service, evening gaming sessions "after dinner," the demand for sport-bar + mini-casinos, as well as high interest in poker, blackjack and video slots with understandable mechanics.

2) American sports as a "funnel of attention."

The NFL, NBA, MLB and UFC form peak time windows for bars and lounges. Broadcast + dinner + game packages and mini-tournaments on cards or roulette on big match days increase the conversion of the "first check" to the "second check" (game).

3) Payment habits.

Guests from the United States more often pay with cards, appreciate cashless and instant bonus loans. This pushes the sites to introduce convenient cashier experience, transparent limits and loyalty programs with digital cards.

4) Marketing and creative.

Expectations of the "American" audience: clear rules, short tutorials, welcome loans, accurate programming of the event, respect for responsible gambling. Communication is bilingual, with direct offers and clear conditions.

5) Compliance and IT standards.

Focus on AML/KYC procedures, staff training and a "trail of American practices" in terms of data protection and responsible play. Online - demand for reliable hosting, transaction monitoring, anti-fraud and separate accounting of bonuses.

Offline market: hotels, resorts, MICE

Hotel casino lounges 4-5. Format "small forms": 30-80 slots, electronic roulette, 1-4 tables (blackjack, poker, roulette). Schedule for evening windows and sports broadcasts on Eastern and Pacific Time USA.

Coast vs capital. On the coast - an entertainment mix (slots + sports bar), in San Jose - chamber tables, VIP rooms, tournaments on weekdays for business guests and expats.

MICE segment. Corporate arrivals from the United States create predictable "waves" of attendance: private tables, Learn to Play master classes, welcome chips in the package are in demand.

Online ecosystems and outsourcing

Costa Rica is known for its developed IT ecosystem and back-office culture for entertainment services. This is expressed in:

• technical expertise (payment gateways, anti-fraud, BI reports, CRM segmentation), content localization for an English-speaking audience, service approach: fast support, SLA, clear verification and responsible play policy.

Product line for American demand

Card games and poker.

American guests and expats consistently create demand for poker cash games and small tournament nets on weekends.

Blackjack and roulette.

Low entry threshold, transparent rules - ideal for guests combining dinner and a "short session."

Video slots.

Simple, dynamic themes, jackpots and bonus rounds with clearly explained rules (tooltips, demo bets, "Try & Learn 15 minutes") are popular.

Sports betting as a bar coupling.

Light promotional mechanics for NFL/NBA/UFC (draws, quizzes, "trial freebet" of small limits) increase retention and average visit duration.

Payments and Finance

Default cashless. Cash desks that quickly accept cards, Apple/Google Pay, provide instant bonus loans and clear refunds, receive more "American" checks.

Antifraud and chargeback politicians. Clear KYC, limits, transaction confirmations, transparent refund rules reduce risk and build trust.

Compliance and reputation

AML/KYC framework. Documents, Age-Check, deposit limits, hotline links - basic "responsibility showcase."

Transparent conditions. English-language T & Cs, visible bonus policy and clear "House Rules" indication on tables and in slot rooms.

Personnel training. Dealers and hosts who can explain the rules "in 60 seconds" are key to high ratings and repeat visits.

USA → Costa Rica Marketing & Partnerships

Hotels and air packages. Cross-selling with lifestyle hotels, surf schools, spa clinics, tour operators.

Calendar under US leagues. Programming events for playoffs and prime time broadcasts; themed evenings, merch, photo zones.

Content wikis for beginners. Short videos "How to play blackjack/roulette," bilingual guides, QR code for mini-training.

Economic impact for Costa Rica

Average check growth. American guests increase the share of F&B and the "second check" (game), strengthening the revenue of hotels and related services.

Employment and competencies. Dealers, IT specialists, marketing, events, security, transport - a multiplier of jobs.

Infrastructure investment. Equipment upgrades, energy efficient slots, secure payment systems, staff training.

Risks and how to reduce them

Seasonality and fluctuations in tourist flow. It is extinguished by the calendar of events, MICE activity in the offseason and local festivals.

USD rate and flight costs. Long weekend packages, corporate partnerships, loyalty for repeat guests.

Regulatory uncertainty online. Bet on compliance-by-design, audit of processes, intelligible T & Cs, separate accounting of bonuses.

Reputational risks. Strict responsible play policy, age control, soft communication (play is part of the evening, not the goal).

Tactical map for operator

1. Resort-lite (beach hotel 150-250 rooms)

60-90 slots, 1-2 electronic roulettes, 1-2 tables on weekends.

Prime time under NFL/NBA, quizzes + merch draws.

KPI: load 21: 00-01: 00, share of the "second check," NPS.

2. City- 商务 (San Jose, 4-5)

30-40 slots, 3-4 tables, VIP room, mini tournaments Tue/Thu.

MICE packages: "dinner + master class + tournament."

KPI: business guest ARPU, return visits, weekday revenue.

3. Adventure-hub (Arenal/Monteverde eco-clusters)

25-35 slots, e-tables, "Try & Learn" 15 minutes each evening.

Loyalty through gastro events (coffee, cocoa), live music.

KPI: session duration, conversion from F&B, retention.

Perspectives 2025-2030

Hybrid spaces: sport-bar + stage + mini-casinos with a focus on UX and "quick rules."

Digital loyalty: mobile club cards, personalization of offers, integration with room reservations and excursions.

"Green" upgrades: energy efficient devices, local materials in the interior, stability reporting (important for guests from the USA).

Content for US leagues: calendar strategy, thematic seasons, cross-media with local influencers and musicians.

Inference. The influence of the United States on the Costa Rican market is a combination of stable effective demand, high expectations for the service and clear compliance logic. Those operators who build a bilingual UX, adjust the calendar for American sports, strengthen cashless and responsible gambling, will receive a stable income funnel and strong "American" repeated traffic - both in hotel lounges and in the digital ecosystem.