Chile's Comptroller General (CGR) has issued observations to the Superintendence of Casinos of Gaming (SCJ) after detecting shortcomings in the oversight of payments made by Casino del Mar to the municipality of Viña del Mar.
The findings stem from a special audit launched following complaints from the municipal government, which alleged that the casino operator failed to fully comply with the economic terms agreed under its concession contract.
According to the municipality, one of the monthly payments was both delayed and incorrectly calculated, resulting in an outstanding balance.
The case concerns the August 2024 concession fee, which amounted to CLP2.6bn ($2.86m) and was ultimately paid on 2 September 2024.
However, the CGR concluded that the calculation contained errors that reduced the amount transferred and noted the absence of corrective measures by the SCJ at the time.
In its report, the CGR highlighted weaknesses in the SCJ's internal controls and monitoring processes, particularly regarding the verification of payments owed by casino operators to host municipalities.
The audit underscores the importance of accurate oversight given the fiscal relevance of casino concession fees for local governments.
The findings come under broader regulatory scrutiny of Chile's casino sector, including legislative discussions on advertising restrictions as Chilean Senator Karim Bianchi has introduced a bill aimed at regulating and sanctioning the promotion of operators across digital media.
It also comes under tighter standards for future casino licences in the country, as the Municipality of Pucón has set out a tougher framework for the next operator of its casino license, expecting a more assertive stance after Enjoy renounced its operations in the commune.
Comtrade Gaming has recently expanded into Chile with 24Games deal
