In Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association (PRHTA) rejected House Project 1514, which seeks to authorize online casino games, warning it could affect jobs, investments, and revenues of established casinos on the island. The legislation would allow internet games currently offered in physical casinos, a different modality from online sports betting already authorized in Puerto Rico.
Ismael Vega, president of the PRHTA Casino Committee, stated that it is unacceptable for a proposal of this magnitude to be presented without consulting the casino industry, which generates jobs, invests capital, and operates under strict regulation. The measure, announced by Governor Jenniffer Aydin González Colón on October 16, proposes establishing a legal framework for online gaming and using the revenue from a tax on this activity to finance increases in public sector retirees’ pensions.
According to PRHTA, the project also contemplates tax incentives that could favor virtual casino operators, while traditional establishments maintain their tax obligations and investments in physical facilities. The organization warned that this difference could generate unequal competition conditions and reduce revenues of casinos linked to the hotel industry. Former PRHTA Board of Directors President Miguel Vega stated that allowing virtual games without comparable investment in facilities, infrastructure, and jobs could weaken existing casinos, affecting hotels, tourism investment, and families depending on these jobs.
The PRHTA questioned the proposal’s presentation without prior consultation with the industry or disclosure of recent market saturation studies and potential economic and fiscal consequences of expanding gaming offerings. The government initiative includes requirements for operators, providers, and players, as well as consumer protection measures, responsible gaming, cybersecurity, and fraud and money laundering prevention. The PRHTA indicated it will evaluate the project and expressed willingness to participate in a dialogue on gaming regulation, but insisted that any change must consider its effects on existing casinos and hotels.
Corrected October 18: an earlier version described this in words the source did not use; it now says “Ismael Vega, president of the PRHTA Casino Committee, stated.”