The return of casinos, gambling houses and betting shops that are currently banned in Ecuador is one of the eleven questions that President Daniel Noboa asked Ecuadorians to decide on in a public consultation aimed at creating new jobs as part of a strategy to combat crime and insecurity.

12 years ago, these activities had to be closed in the country because this was also resolved at a public consultation, which was held on May 7, 2011 by then President Rafael Correa. However, this “had a negative impact on job creation, as 250,000 (SIC) jobs were lost after 2011, which were created in 160 arcades across the country,” he points out as one of the foundations of question 11 now being asked by Noboa, referring to the Bloomberg Línea publication where, however, it is stated that 25,000 jobs have been lost.

These are the eleven questions that Daniel Noboa asked the Constitutional Court to consider

Casino authorization is presented as a solution that, “as long as it is carefully regulated, will contribute to strengthening economic stability and consequently alleviate insecurity in dangerous areas”.

And the authorization for these companies will have at least four guidelines:

Ecuador without the cube, but with more unemployed

In the request that the president sent to the Constitutional Court this Tuesday, January 2, the advantages of returning those casinos are detailed:

Question is asked: Do you agree to allow the operation of casinos, gaming rooms, betting shops or businesses dedicated to gambling, under the conditions set out in Appendix question 11?

Addition indicates that:

The government presents data from the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC), which as of August 2023 shows that 3.5% of the economically active population (PEA) is unemployed: 295,660 people. “The composition of employment at the national level shows that there is still room for improvement in order to increase the numbers in terms of adequate employment”, where there are 2,975,380 people. There are 1,800,406 unemployed, 895,083 in employment, 2,518,471 in other employment, and 22,481 unclassified.

Projections show that Ecuador’s economy will grow by 2% in 2024, while the number of employed people in the region will grow by only 1%.

In 2011, the question was whether it was agreed that businesses dedicated to gambling, such as casinos and gaming rooms, should be banned in the country, and Yes won with 45.76% to 41.68% for No. Consequently, on March 17, 2012, around 32 casinos, according to the Law on Tourism, ceased to operate after the execution of Decree 873 of September 2011.

In 2019, there was an intention to hold a consultation in Quito on the reopening of casinos, but it did not work. While he was a Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Commission for Economic Development, in 2022 Noboa referred to the idea of ​​returning casinos or gaming halls to free zones and this approach was presented in the draft report of the Investment Law. During the analysis of the mentioned project, it was indicated that casinos and casinos could operate in free zones for the provision of tourist services according to the principle of extraterritoriality, since the area that includes the free zones is not technically qualified as the territory of Ecuador, and in 2011 there was a consultation. These activities were prohibited within the country. Finally, Guillermo Lasso’s law was rejected and archived in the plenary session with 87 votes from the benches of Correismo, Pachakutik and the Democratic Left.