On November 5, 2020, the 001 license for the Hotel Humboldt in Caracas was awarded with more than 70 people working directly and already in operation, “in a positive initiative to activate the economy and promote legal gambling in the country,” expresses Roye, Director of Winners 2015 CA, a company dedicated to the installation and operation of gaming venues nationally and internationally.
According to her, Venezuela was from the beginning one of the most attractive places in Latin America in terms of gambling and “today we see how the first License was delivered in Caracas after 12 years of closure, which opens the opportunity for businessmen to hope to reactivate the industry,” she says.
Soraya Roye, in the last 30 years has stood out for working with brands such as Aristocrat, IGT, Alfastreet, Bally, Konami, Novomatic, Scientific Game, Gold Club, Bee, Sega, Shuffle Master, Aviator, Fournier, Queen Gambling, among others, and is available to work for the country's economic reactivation in this new reopening.
GMB - What do you consider to be the entrepreneur's position regarding this new reopening of casinos in Venezuela?
Soraya Roye - Very positive, although the majority of Venezuelan 'ex-casinos' have abandoned the activity, closed their doors and some have left the country, which means that experienced entrepreneurs have been reduced. In terms of investors, new ones have arrived who are strongly evaluating the possibility of being part of a national opening and investing in the country and making the sector grow.
How can the State guarantee investments to these national and international entrepreneurs?
Foreign investment at this time is guaranteed by the licenses authorized by the regulatory body, the National Commission on Casinos (CNC). However, we continue to trust the country and bet on an organized opening where we all have the opportunity to participate, compete and avoid monopoly.
Is there talk of importing slot machines into the Venezuelan market?
Yes. The CNC is the governing body of the activity, to whom I take the opportunity to thank, both to the people who work in the sector and now their new President, as they have demonstrated that they intend to advance the issues of gaming.
It is important to realize that we must seek a way out in favor of the economic reactivation of the sector. I would like to highlight President Nicolás Maduro's vision of supporting tourism and delivering the first license, which was a transcendental and historic decision.
What is the positive impact that the reactivation of the gaming industry brings to the country?
I highlight four very important points for Venezuela.
1 - The generation of jobs and the academic preparation of all people who wish to learn this profession that serves nationally and internationally.
2 - The technological contribution in software and hardware for the protection of the client, owners, and the Venezuelan State in order to achieve transparency that benefits all entities involved.
3 - Domestic tourism in favor of mobilizing the economic sector with the provision of a service within the hotel facilities.
4 - Entertainment, which is vital for the physical and mental recovery of the human being.
How many people do you think could visit a casino in Venezuela in a post-pandemic world?
According to the WHO, we are only allowed 30% of capacity anywhere in the world and as for the workforce, we are working with 70% of the staff, with a rotation of 30% of it so that everyone has access to the work they need in these difficult times.
How many casinos do you think can be implemented in the country?
I believe that an opening is coming on a national level. Talking about numbers is very compromising, however, on my part I have a whole team of professionals and technicians in all branches that the gaming industry needs to make the national opening the best and biggest successes.
Source: Exclusive GMB
