According to Finance Committee chairwoman, Migdalia Padilla, slot machine revenue will be split 45% to municipalities, 50% to fund the police retirement trust and 5% to the country’s tourism department.
But at recent hearings on the bill the Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association, citing government figures contained in a Spectrum Gaming Group study, had warned that legalizing slot machines would have a negative impact on tourism and the University of Puerto Rico, largely because it would affect casino revenue, up to US$35 million of which goes to the university.
The study also cautioned that legalizing 30,000 slot machines would create a loss of between US$149.1m and US$194.6m, with the general fund and the tourism seeing a shortfall of US$32.5m to US$42.5m.
The Senate remains unmoved by such arguments, however, saying that revenue for the municipalities and the police is the chief priority when it comes to allocating the money raised via gaming machines.
Source: GMB / SBC Americas
