Operator News
Chile – Grupo Meier wants latest Chile casino licenses revoked
By James - 10 April 2023
Casino operator Grupo Meier (Corporación Meier) has filed a complaint with the Superintendence of Gaming Casinos (SCJ) demanding that the last tender involving Dreams, Enjoy and Marina del Sol be revoked.
Grupo Meier based its claims on a report prepared by law firm Contreras Velozo on their behalf. In a letter to the SJC, the company’s manager Lientur Fuentealba Meier claimed that the companies had worked together in order to divide twelve casino licenses amongst themselves.
Grupo Meier explained that it wanted ten resolutions issued by the SJC made on August 12, 2022 annulled in all.
“All these resolutions were issued within the framework of the bidding processes for the granting and renewal of permits for the operation of gaming casinos, whose bases were approved by the SCJ . . . to companies belonging to the Marina del Sol, Dreams and Enjoy groups in the communes of Valdivia, Mostazal, Los Ángeles, Temuco, Osorno, Punta Arenas, Calama, Talcahuano, Rinconada de los Andes and San Antonio ,” he said. Licenses were renewed for fifteen years.
He added that based on information that had recently come to light over alleged collusion between the three companies it had become clear that the decisions made by the SJC over the renewal of these licenses at that time were unlawful.
This is not the first time that that the operator has denounced alleged irregularities in the bidding process. In October last year the Meier Corporation filed a complaint before the the Tribunal for the Defence of Free Competition (TDLC). The Peruvian operator, which is the current licence holder for the casino located in Talca and owns a share of the Puerto Natales Casino, denounced a series of alleged irregularities regarding the bidding rules for the last two public tenders carried out by the SCJ. According to company lawyers the licensing process, facilitated collusion and the continued dominance of local and already established operators in the market.
Caption: Marina del Sol in Talcahuano
