Church opposes gambling expansion in Argentine province of Córdoba
Evangelical pastors from Córdoba have published an open letter to the governor of the province stating their opposition to casinos and gambling. In the letter they warned about the rise of betting promoted by authorities as a “public policy.” The evangelical sector has a strong presence in the most disadvantaged areas of the province and in recent years, has gained influence in the political considerations of the ruling party.
They expressed particular concern over the creation of a casino in Cruz del Eje, “one of the communities hardest hit by poverty and unemployment.” In the official statement they asked for a “rollback on the implementation of the (new) tenders” and called for the generation of “jobs, quality education, and safety—not these shiny trinkets that impoverish and bring misery.”
For the evangelical pastors of Córdoba, it will be the humblest people who will be affected by this decision.
“Having learned of the sudden decision by the Government of Córdoba to hastily call for bids for the private concession of most of the casinos in Córdoba, the creation of a new one in Cruz del Eje, and the authorization for the installation of 5,000 new slot machines, we cannot remain silent about the negative human consequences this will bring to our people . . . We realize that the magnitude of the business has conquered many wills, and under the guise of apparent and non-existent progress, the provincial government will now grant the concession of gambling to “entrepreneurs” who will manage casinos and slot machines to spread throughout the province.”
In December Governor Martín Llaryora decided to call for the tender for slot machines three years prior to the expiration of the concession held by the Concesionaria de Entretenimientos y Turismo (CET), which belongs to the Roggio Group. In addition, the casinos that manage table games, which are currently run by Lotería de Córdoba, will now pass into private hands. While private entities will take full responsibility for the casinos, the provincial agency will retain control of the Villa Carlos Paz casino, which collects 75% of the nearly $7 billion that was wagered last year on roulette and poker tables.
Four companies will compete for the concession of casinos, hotels, and slot machines in the province, as announced by the Lotería de Córdoba. In the zone encompassing the municipalities of Alta Gracia, Cruz del Eje, and Río Ceballos the firms that submitted their bids were CET SA (the current concessionaire), Casino de Victoria and Fuente Mayor, a company with capital from Mendoza. Meanwhile, for the zones identified in the tender as the “Federal and Tourist Rings,” the same companies submitted bids, along with Boldt S.A.
The letter comes amidst growing opposition to the governor’s decision. In January a group of opposition legislators proposed a project to call for a public referendum that would allow citizens to decide on the privatization of casinos and the expansion of gambling in the province.
