Puerto Rico’s senate greenlights new slot licensing regulations
The Puerto Rican Senate has given its stamp of approval to a new set of regulations concerning the licensing and control of slot route machines. This move comes after the Gaming Commission presented the proposed regulations on 1 March.
This week, the Senate approved the new Regulation for the Issuance, Management, and Control of Licenses for Slot Route Gaming Machines. This action aligns with the commitment expressed by the President of the Senate, José Luis Dalmau Santiago, as reported by local media outlet El Sol de Puerto Rico.
Senate Concurrent Resolution 58 clarifies that the proposed regulation must undergo evaluation by the Legislative Assembly. This is to ensure its complete and faithful compliance with the statute before its approval, which should occur within 45 days from the notification.
Dalmau Santiago, (pictured above), referring to Concurrent Resolution 57, explained why the previous regulation was rejected. He said, “Since I spoke with you in the last session and expressed why the past regulation was being rejected, we addressed the concerns and that is why we filed this amended regulation.”
Significant step towards regulation
He also refuted claims that the Senate was not giving way to the regulation. He clarified, “The Gaming Commission is working on a draft, and when they file it, I will attend to it. The conversations are so advanced that this morning, the gaming commissioner told me that maybe they will file it today.” This statement was made before the new regulation was received on Wednesday.
The proposed regulation outlines the administrative processes, criteria, rules, requirements, functions, obligations, and rights that all interested parties must adhere to when requesting or renewing their licenses for route gaming machines. It also applies to those interested in obtaining or renewing the Licenses for Wholesaler Owners, Business Owners, Manufacturers, Distributors, and Suppliers of Goods and Services of Slot Route Gaming Machines, as reported by local media Microjuris.
Furthermore, the regulation stipulates the operational and oversight procedures that the Gaming Commission, or the corresponding Bureau if created, must follow when awarding such Licenses.
The primary objective of these Regulations is to regulate the management of these licenses and to establish the penalties that may be imposed on any person who fails to comply with the provisions of the Law and the Regulations. This marks a significant step towards regulating the gaming industry in Puerto Rico.
