As reported by the newspaper El País, from the first conversation that Cipriani had with then-president Tabaré Vázquez, he would have told him that in addition to his interest in obtaining a license for a physical casino, an operating license would be a necessity for the business to operate gambling in the online modality. At that time, the Presidency replied that, when Uruguay decided to grant this type of license, it would do so by tender.
In the explanatory memorandum of the recently presented bill, it is noted that, given the "progress and importance that internet gambling already have in the present and will surely reach in the future", the General Directorate of Casinos should be empowered to "exploit gambling that it traditionally develops through technological platforms, with the understanding that a large part of the recreational activity will be exercised -if not already- in the future through them."
The bill refers to article 244 of Law 19,535 of 2017, which establishes that "the provision of services through the Internet, technological platforms, computer applications or similar related to games of chance or online betting, is reached by the principle of illegality." The only exception is sports betting, enabled in 2002, and whose operation is in the hands of La Banca.
In its article 1, the bill establishes that "without prejudice" to the provisions of article 244 of law 19,535, the General Directorate of Casinos will be empowered "to lend the activity of casino games such as poker, roulette, slots, among others, created or to be created, under the modality 'online' through internet, technological platforms, computer applications or similar."
In addition, it is specified that these activities may be provided "directly" by the General Directorate of Casinos "through the traditional system or through current operations that operate under the so-called mixed system."
"Likewise, the Executive Power may authorize in a prior and revocable manner, the provision of said activity to the concessionaires of casino games in person or to those who possess said enabling title in the future, in accordance with the procedure that according to the corresponding Law," adds article 1.
It is also established that the Executive Power "will regulate the mode of provision of the activity of online casino games, regulated by this rule", where the mode of the game, the means of payment, and the "canon to collect if the exploitation corresponds to private providers," among other aspects.
Article 2 proposes the creation in the General Directorate of Casinos of a "common fund of up to 8% of the gross monthly profit of said operation, which will be distributed among the officials of Program I of the same, as a salary benefit."
Source: El Pais
