Chile's Superintendencia de Casinos de Juego (SCJ) has declared the tender to operate the casino in Puerto Varas unsuccessful after disqualifying both companies that submitted technical bids.
A similar case happened at the Iquique and Puerto Varas casinos, adding to a growing list of stalled casino licensing processes in the country.
The regulator formalized the decision through a resolution, ending the evaluation of bids from Inversiones y Turismo Puerto Varas, linked to Dreams and businessman Claudio Fischer, and Sociedad Quiquilhue, linked to Peru-based operator Corporación Meier.
The SCJ said the applicants had not fully complied with the legal and regulatory requirements established in the tender's technical guidelines.
According to the regulator's resolution, Corporación Meier was disqualified for submitting incomplete information, failing to deliver required documentation on time and breaching a rule banning shareholders linked to companies with unpaid tax debts, specifically Casino de Juego del Maule, Casino de Juego de Antofagasta and Casino Patagonia.
Dreams was disqualified for failing to submit a complete corporate report, not registering with the relevant financial reporting registry, carrying overdue tax debts through companies related to its shareholder and omitting 16 required tax compliance certificates.
Corporación Meier said it viewed the SCJ's technical criteria with concern, describing the issues as formal and minor matters that in past processes were typically resolved through standard consultation without affecting a project's substance.
Luis Fuentealba Meier, Founder of Corporación Meier, said: “The legal uncertainty arising from constant changes to the rules of the game and evaluation criteria creates a complex environment that inevitably leads Corporación Meier to view its continuity and future investment plans in the country with caution and uncertainty.”
The SCJ said it will launch a new tender for Puerto Varas, which will require redefining the special conditions included in the technical guidelines.
The decision comes after several operators criticized the conditions of Chile's latest casino tender. Dreams, Marina del Sol and Corporación Meier had previously raised concerns over what they described as onerous requirements, high investment obligations and conditions that could discourage competition.
Corporación Meier was also disqualified from casino tenders for Coyhaique and Ancud in January 2026
