The Casino de Esquel has entered its second month of closure with no resolution in sight to the ongoing labor dispute, prompting former employees to organize a charity bingo in the Patagonian city to raise funds and maintain community support.
The casino closed on March 25 and, according to workers, there were no signs the night before. Mario Muñoz and Mauricio Pozzobon, former employees of the casino, said: "The night before was like any other night, quiet."
The following morning, they received a WhatsApp message informing them the venue would not open "for an indefinite period."
The operating company cited extraordinary circumstances related to the concession as the reason for the closure, while Lotería del Chubut has maintained that the contract remains in effect. Neither the final month's salary nor indemnification payments have been made.
The workers stated that 49 families are directly affected by the shutdown, in addition to the workforce surrounding the casino.
Workers have been maintaining a daily vigil outside the building, though cold temperatures have forced them to reduce their hours. Both the provincial government and the local municipality have provided limited financial assistance.
Prizes for the bingo event were donated by businesses and residents of Esquel and Trevelin, and the event included a buffet. Former employees confirmed that talks with Lotería authorities on a future licensing process are ongoing, with their primary demand being that any new operator rehire the workers left without jobs after the closure.
The Casino de Esquel opened nearly 20 years ago as part of a larger project that originally also envisioned a hotel, which was never built
