Operator News
Chile – Peruvian operator alleges irregularities in casino tender
By James - 10 October 2022
The Meier Corporation (Corporación Meier) filed a complaint before Chile´s competition authority, 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 irregularities regarding the bidding rules for the last two public tenders carried out by the Gaming Board (SCJ).
According to company lawyers, the licensing process, which allowed the renewal of 10 of the 14 available licenses, facilitated collusion and the continued dominance of local and already established operators in the market.
In its 44-page document, the operator stated that it was seeking to position itself as a “relevant stakeholder” in the entertainment sector. However the company stated that “the definitions adopted in the bidding process by the SCJ have repercussions on their chances of challenging Dreams, Enjoy and Marina del Sol, the big operators in this industry . . . “
As a result The Meier Corporation wants the TDLC to suspend the open bidding processes, in order to modify the bidding rules. Meier had demanded that the concession processes of the municipal casinos of Talca (in which it was the only bidder) and San Antonio be suspended. According to the company, the investment amounts established by the tender allowed the current licence owners to use existing building works to compose up to 80 per cent of the economic offer as part of the bid. The complainants also argue that the information thus far provided is insufficiently precise and also favours current license holders.
