Per the Prime Minister's announcement, no new casinos shall be constructed in the southern Cambodian provinces of Kep and Kampot except for those integrated resorts and...
Ecuador confirms decision to reopen casinos made by referendum
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa confirmed that the decision to reopen casinos and gambling halls in hotels will be made by a referendum.
Through the social media platform X (previously Twitter), the President of Ecuador stated that there will be “a public consultation asking the people about issues that have been of popular interest and in urgent need of change for years.”
His proposal includes seven questions, the last of which is about land-based gambling:
“Do you agree with allowing the operation of gaming halls and casinos dedicated to gambling in five-star hotels, which will pay the State a tax of 25% of their sales from this activity, to finance programs to fight chronic child malnutrition and school feeding, as regulated by the National Assembly through law?”
According to local media, the vote will take place on December 14. The questions require partial amendments to the Constitution, so they must follow the procedure established in Article 441 of the Constitution and the Organic Law on Jurisdictional Guarantees and Constitutional Control.
To hold the referendum, the process must comply with a series of steps set by the Constitution. First, the President must submit the executive decree calling for a popular consultation to the Constitutional Court, along with the text of the questions and their respective extensions. Then, the Court must issue a ruling on constitutionality, verifying that the questions do not violate fundamental rights, do not deal with prohibited matters, and comply with the principles of clarity, unity of subject matter, and transparency. Only with a favorable ruling, the National Electoral Council (CNE) can officially call for a vote.
In 2024, Noboa tried to reopen casinos and gaming halls through a referendum. But the initiative was reversed due to pressure from various political sectors.
Of these changes, arguably the biggest one is that there will be certain limitations placed and changes made to many functions and features of slot games. Many of such...
