Revenue at casinos directly managed by the Mendoza provincial government fell more than 40% in 2026.
This accelerated restructuring at the Provincial Institute of Games and Casinos (IPJyC), according to the institute’s public information system. Average monthly revenue from slots and table games fell from roughly ARS1.785bn ($1.1m) in January-February to ARS1.064bn between April and August, a 40.4% decline following the March 11 closure of Casino Zona Este after a fire.
The venue had accounted for around 33% of state-run casinos’ slot revenue, generating $783.6m in January and ARS654.5m in February from electronic games alone, and has remained closed since.
The institute says the loss of a venue representing a third of state casino revenue accelerated a reorganization already under discussion amid sector shifts, including online betting growth and declining participation in some in-person gaming formats.
Law 9,718, passed in July following a Finance Ministry proposal, enabled the restructuring, giving the institute tools including voluntary retirement, staff relocation and up to one year of administrative leave. Voluntary retirement, offering 120% of standard severance, remains open through September 30.
Separately, the institute closed Casino Central's traditional table games section, known as Juego Vivo, on August 5, placing 82 employees on paid leave for six months. The closure followed findings that table game revenue covered only 29% of staff wages in that section, with the shortfall subsidized by other casino operations; in July, the last full month before closure, slot machines generated ARS1.099bn in revenue compared to just ARS45.6m from table games.
Union representatives say 25-30 of those employees have opted for voluntary retirement, leaving around 50 still requiring relocation within the institute or elsewhere in provincial government, a process the union says remains under discussion with state HR authorities.
Of roughly 460 employees, around 105 have requested to leave, according to the Mendoza Casino Workers’ Union, which projects up to 120 departures, or 26% of staff, leaving roughly 340 employees
