The role of the gambling industry in the country's economy (Costa Rica)

Costa Rica is known for the offline hotel-casino model and the role of an operating base for online gambling (companies register as "data processing" and serve foreign markets). Despite the lack of a classic online license, the ecosystem of games significantly affects the economy - directly and through related sectors.

1) Direct contribution: employment and hotel and restaurant sector

Hotel casinos. Small gaming halls in San Jose/Escasu and tourist clusters (Hako, Puntarenas, Liberia Zone) create jobs for dealers, cashiers, security, F&B, technical staff.

RevPAR и TRevPAR. The presence of a casino increases the occupancy of hotels in the offseason, increases the average check due to restaurants/bars and evening events.

MICE and events. Tournaments, sports broadcasts, show programs add a stream of corporate guests and expand the demand calendar.

2) Indirect effect: iGaming as an offshore operating system

Jobs in services. Contact centers, support 24/7, risk analytics, anti-fraud, BI/data, DevOps and hosting are a stable demand for qualified personnel in the metropolitan area.

Local purchases. Office rent, telecom, cloud, cybersecurity, legal and accounting services, HR outsourcing is a multiplier for small and medium-sized businesses.

Competency transfer. Trained cadres from iGaming are moving into fintech, e-commerce and creative industries, strengthening the digital job market.

3) Taxes and fees: how the state earns revenue

Offline casinos. Pay taxes on general regimes (CIT, IVA/VAT, municipal fees), rent and licenses/permits for hospitality facilities.

Online operating centers. Being "data processing," they carry a tax burden on corporate income, salaries and services, and also create a flow of contracts within the country.

Free zones (FTZ). For some service companies, the FTZ regime reduces taxes and stimulates investment and employment - in return for KPIs for capital investments/personnel.

4) Payment and IT infrastructure

Development of payments. The need for a reliable cash register pushes fintech (aggregators, alternative methods, A2A) and raises KYC/AML standards.

Cybersecurity. Constant requirements for fault tolerance, WAF/anti-DDoS, SIEM/SOC create a market for local information security providers.

Telecom and clouds. iGaming consumes data channels and cloud resources, which supports carrier and hosting investments.

5) Tourism and the "long check"

Combination product. Beaches, volcanoes, national parks + evening casinos - more reasons to stay 1-2 nights longer.

Urban clusters. In the capital, casinos "support" restaurants, taxis, shops, cultural venues, creating a sustainable evening economy.

"Safe leisure" image. The format at hotels is convenient for family and business trips: clear rules, security, English-language service.

6) Social risks and reputational costs

Lack of a specialized online regulator. There is no single arbiter of disputes and centralized Responsible Gaming standards - the risk of claims to the country's image.

Payment restrictions. Hard bank/card scoring increases transaction costs for operators and partners.

"Gray" effect. Media incidents around payments/bonuses at individual brands can be broadcast to the entire ecosystem of services, from hotels to IT contractors.

7) What would enhance the economic effect (without losing flexibility)

"Light frame" for online. Minimum mandatory requirements: RG tools, basic integrity certification, transparent bonus rules, ombudsman/ADR for disputes.

Payment standards. Public SLAs on conclusions and basic guarantees of client funds (deposits/insurance) would increase the confidence of payment partners.

Footage and upskilling. Training programs on AML/sanctions, data analytics, cybersecurity, payment engineering - to keep the value of the chain in the country.

Tourist product. Stay & play packages in conjunction with gastronomy, wellness and eco-tours to keep the income multiplier in the hotel and restaurant sector.

8) Balance of benefits and risks: where to "fine-tune"

Benefits: employment in services and hospitality, growth of competencies in IT/information security/fintech, multiplier of local purchases, smoothing of seasonality of tourist flow.

Risks: online regulatory vacuum, payment and compliance costs, reputational vulnerability.

Equilibrium point: maintain speed and operational flexibility, but add basic standards of consumer protection and transparency.

The gambling industry in Costa Rica is not a "casino state," but a mosaic of compact hotel rooms and a powerful offshore operating system for online. The economic contribution is manifested through employment, tourism, taxes and the growth of related markets - from fintech to cybersecurity. Moderate "fine-tuning" of the rules for the online segment (RG, honesty, ADR, transparent payments) can strengthen income and reputation without destroying the country's main advantage - flexibility and speed of doing business.