Casino de Talca, in Chile, is asking prosecutors to investigate the chain of decisions that allowed the new casino project to proceed without entering Chile's Environmental Impact Assessment System (SEIA) and subsequently obtain its building and operating permits.
The complaint also asks authorities to consider the precautionary suspension of the new casino's operating permit, building permit, related administrative actions and ongoing works.
The new casino project, developed by Sociedad de Ríos Claros, is under construction next to the Cajón del Río Claro and Estero Piduco urban wetland in Talca.
Casino de Talca alleges that the process could involve environmental crimes, falsification and public and private corruption, and has asked prosecutors to investigate individuals, companies and public officials involved in the different stages of the project. The allegations are those of the complainant and have not been established as crimes by a court.
One of the main issues raised concerns the depth of the excavations. According to the complaint, the project reported during environmental processing that excavations would reach between 1.4 and 1.6 meters. However, a notary certified an excavation of approximately three meters at the site on November 18, 2025, for the installation of a drinking water tank.
The Superintendencia del Medio Ambiente (SMA) later acknowledged buried works reaching a maximum depth of 3.1 meters.
The complaint also points to a previous warning from Chile's water authority, the Dirección General de Aguas (DGA), that groundwater was located around 1.3 meters below the surface.
It also cites a University of Talca study concerning flood risks in the area and questions whether the project ultimately built was the same project assessed when the SEA determined that it did not require entry into the SEIA.
Casino de Talca also challenges the building permit's occupancy calculation. The permit reportedly considers a capacity of 4,490 people, while the complaint estimates that actual occupancy could reach between 8,900 and 11,205 people if external areas included in the project, such as an urban park, sports center, children's playground, amphitheater and surface parking, are taken into account.
The company has asked for specialized PDI units focused on environmental crimes and corruption to participate in the investigation and for statements to be taken from several officials, including the Superintendent of Casinos de Juego.
The complaint comes despite previous favorable environmental findings for the project. In May, Chile's Superintendencia del Medio Ambiente (SMA) said it had found no environmental violations or evidence of damage linked to the Parque Ferial del Maule development, including its impact on surrounding land, groundwater and the nearby Humedal Urbano Cajón del Río Claro-Estero Piduco.
The project was then 62% complete and targeting a November 2026 opening. The SMA's findings followed an on-site inspection conducted with the Dirección General de Aguas in March.
The project is being developed by Sociedad de Ríos Claros SA, part of the Dreams group, with construction being carried out by Precon SA
