Authorities in Curicó, in Chile’s Maule region, have said they will keep closing illegal casinos in the city center as many times as necessary after three venues reopened days after being shut.
The municipality has also filed a criminal complaint over the breaking of closure seals.
Three establishments were closed in early September but were operating again days later, with the seals broken and the closure signs removed.
George Bordachar, Mayor of Curicó, said: “We are dealing with illegal casinos operating without permits, so our officials and I go in and shut them down. And what happens? They reopen.
“We will keep insisting that if they reopen, we will keep shutting them down. We also hope the prosecutor’s office continues with the proceedings and supports us in ensuring the appropriate action is taken. These are not games of skill; they are games of chance, which are illegal.”
Felipe Canteros, Head of the Municipal Legal Unit, said: “We have closed again, and they have broken the seals again, but that is recorded on the cameras located downtown, so we can start the corresponding criminal actions and obviously close them.”
The municipality began closing illegal casinos in late August, when two venues were closed as part of an investigation. Illegal gambling, alcohol sales and cigarette sales were among the offenses found in one of the venues. Canteros has said the casinos lack municipal licenses and that the mayor ordered their closure by decree.
A similar case was reported in Rancagua, where municipal officials and Carabineros found a gambling venue operating despite a closure order in force since 2023. Authorities closed the venue again and detained its administrator, who was handed over to the Public Prosecutor’s Office.
In May 2026, authorities ordered the closure of 28 illegal casinos in downtown Curicó
