Gradual return of casinos to boost tourism (Venezuela)

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1) From prohibition to tourism: change of course

After a decade of a de facto ban on casinos and bingo, Venezuelan authorities have embarked on a targeted rehabilitation of the sector as a tool to attract foreign exchange earnings and tourist demand. The turn was outlined in January 2020, when President Nicolas Maduro announced the opening of an international casino at the Humboldt Hotel (Caracas) with the possibility of betting in the state cryptocurrency Petro (PTR) and the declared target direction of income to the social sphere. This became a symbol of "restart" and a signal for the market.

2) 2021 Permit Package: Return of Halls

By the beginning of September 2021, the government officially agreed to the return of the casino and, according to specialized media reports, authorized about 30 licenses. One of the first facilities to reopen was Casino Ciudad Jardín at the Pipo Hotel (Maracay) - its opening on August 31, 2021 was widely covered in the industry press. The argumentation of the authorities and business is the revival of tourist flow and related services (hotel-restaurant-industry).

3) Regulatory framework: reliance on the 1997 law

The legal framework of the restored offline segment is still based on the law "Ley para el Control de los Casinos, Salas de Bingo y Máquinas Traganíqueles" (1997): the permitting power of the National Casino Commission, and the key condition is the location of facilities in officially declared tourist areas. This "tourist" requirement ties casinos to hotel and resort infrastructure and makes them part of local tourism development programs.

4) Technical inspection: interconnection system

Along with the permits, the authorities announced the introduction of an interconnection system (interconnexión) for remote control of gaming machines and reporting - another signal of institutionalization and "whitewashing" of the industry for a tourist agenda.

5) "Showcases" for visitors: cases and practice

Humboldt/Caracas. The announcement of 2020 with settlements in Petro was positioned as a "tourist showcase" of the capital and a point of attracting foreign currency.

Maracay / Hotel Pipo. Casino Ciudad Jardín quickly became an "anchor" for the hotel and local leisure activities; profile platforms and social networks record an active mode of operation and events focused on the public. This is a typical "tourist" model bundle "hotel + casino + F&B."

6) How it works for tourism

The economic logic is simple: casinos at hotels increase the occupancy of the room stock, extend the average length of stay and increase the check in related services (restaurants, events). Linking to tourist areas minimizes social risks and concentrates control on infrastructure designed for visitors. In the context of dollarization of life and the need for foreign exchange earnings, this model is perceived by the authorities as a pragmatic tool for reviving the tourist segment.

7) Limitations and risks

Fragmentation "online." Unlike the offline segment, online gambling remains regulatory non-obvious, which creates "gray" zones and offshore access - a factor of reputational and fiscal risks for the tourist product.

Investment climate. Political and economic volatility and the energy system are sensitive places indicated by opponents of the course towards "casino as development." Nevertheless, the government continues the line on point permits.

8) What's Next (2025-2027): Industry and Regional Benchmarks

1. Strengthening the "casino + hotel + events" link. The Maracay case shows that local venues can quickly become part of an urban leisure business card.

2. Expansion of technical control. Scaling up "interconnection" and checks is key to sustainability and legitimacy with the public.

3. Tourism marketing. Promotion of "resort" destinations and event calendar around permitted casinos can increase the share of visitors in revenue. (The practice is already reflected in the communications of objects in social networks.)

The gradual return of casinos in Venezuela is tourist-oriented normalization: the 1997 law sets the framework (travel zones and licensing), the 2021 permit package and the introduction of interconnections return the industry to the "white field," and the symbolic Humboldt/Petro project emphasizes the course to attract foreign exchange earnings. The sustainability of this trajectory will depend on the further institutionalization of control and clarity of the rules for "online," but it is already visible: casinos are again seen as a tool to stimulate tourism and the urban economy.