New casino operations are coming to Ponce thanks to the official authorization of three new casino licenses by the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission. It was recently announced that the Commission approved casinos for the Hampton Inn, Aloft, and Tribute Portfolio by Marriott Hotels.
With the creation of the new casinos, as many as 500 employment positions will be generated plus income for economic and government development in the region.
Details of the Casino Plans
The Aloft hotel just opened in April of last year and it now has plans to spend $42 million to create a new casino, according to Commission Director Orlando Rivera-Carrión. The other two hotel properties are in the works, so it will be some time still before they are able to offer casino gaming services.
The Commission Director stated that the casinos will be an important step for the economic development of Ponce as well as tourism. The Commission is happy to contribute to the area as the betting hall regulator. It is expected that with the launch of casino gaming services, the number of hotel stays and visitor numbers will continue to increase in Ponce.
The licensing was delivered within a ceremony at the Aloft hotel in Ponce and representatives from each hotel were on-site for the event. The Commission expects that the endorsements will help boost the casino and entertainment sector. The industry has suffered greatly since 2006 when seven gaming halls were closed down due to various reasons.
Over the years, the industry has been affected by the recession, natural disasters, and of course, the most recent COVID-19 pandemic. Within a 10-year time frame, the new casinos are expected to bring in $72 million in revenues with the government receiving 51% and the casinos maintaining 49% of earnings.
Joining Sports Betting Operations
The new casinos will now join the existing sports betting industry of Puerto Rico. Sports betting was approved in 2019 and new operators continued to join the industry thereafter. So far, the industry has been successful and will most likely be boosted by the addition of the new casinos.
Major operators are in the mix in Puerto Rico including the popular services of BetMGM. In September 2021, BetMGM announced it had signed a deal with the four-star La Concha Renaissance San Juan venue, a property operated by Marriott International Incorporated.
The deal marked the first time that BetMGM had agreed to offer sports betting services outside the continental United States. A retail sportsbook is located within the ground floor of Casino Del Mar and already offers premium services. It did not take long for the brand to get started in Puerto Rico, and players enjoy its many service options.
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