Chile’s Superintendence of Casinos of Gaming (SCJ) has launched the official bidding process to award a new operating permit for the Iquique casino, initiating a procedure that will determine who manages the facility in the Tarapacá region.
Interested companies can now access the technical specifications outlining the requirements for submitting economic and operational proposals. The preparation period will extend until late July, when a public hearing will be held to receive formal bids. The process aims to ensure that the future operator meets investment, employment and urban development standards aligned with the city’s growth plans.
According to the SCJ, bidders will have 120 business days to submit their offers, which will then be evaluated by the regulator. A consultation period has been established during February and March to address questions from applicants. After receiving the proposals, the authority will have up to four months to review and award the concession.
The Iquique tender forms part of a broader renewal cycle that also includes casinos in Viña del Mar, Coquimbo and Pucón. The new processes come amid financial restructuring efforts by current operator Enjoy and ahead of upcoming concession expirations later this decade.
The bidding terms include minimum guaranteed payments to the state, investment commitments in tourism and urban infrastructure and employment protection clauses. In Viña del Mar, for example, authorities required bidders to retain at least 80% of existing staff and to commit to specific public works improvements.
In Chile, casino operating licenses are awarded for up to 15 years, and concession holders must pay a fixed annual municipal contribution in addition to gaming taxes
