The Senate of Puerto Rico has publicized that its high-level Treasure Budget and PROMESA Commissionn has conducted an intensive on-site inspection of the Casino Metro facility.
The legislative audit was organized to evaluate the commercial viability, security logistics, and regulatory impact of the proposed Senate Bill 960, a sweeping piece of draft legislation seeking to aggressively expand licensed interactive gambling activities across the island territory.
Introducing Independent Poker Rooms and Mobile Lottery Platforms
The on-site inspection was anchored by Treasure Budget and PROMESA Commission’s Chair, Senator Migdalia Padilla Alvelo, alongside Juan Santaella Marchán, senior representatives from the Puerto Rico Hotel and Tourism Association, and Casino Metro General Manager Ismael Vega. The bill, originally drafted and proposed by Senator Roxanna Soto Aguilú, seeks to fundamentally modernize the statutory code regulating the Puerto Rico Gaming Commission to introduce advanced digital and land-based betting formats.
The regulatory shifts outlined in Senate Bill 960 include:
- Independent Poker Rooms: Authorizing dedicated poker clubs that operate entirely separate from traditional, hotel-attached casinos.
- Online Sportsbooks: Expanding the licensing scope for digital sports betting applications.
- eSports Wagering: Implementing a legal framework to accept wagers on competitive digital video gaming.
- Interactive Electronic Lottery: Launching electronic lottery and instant-win games distributed via state-approved apps and web platforms.
The statute simultaneously introduces updated auditing controls, rigid oversight rules, and automated safeguards to proactively prevent problem gambling and block underage players from logging onto mobile platforms.
Senator Padilla Alvelo noted that the text will undergo intense optimization before advancing to a full chamber vote:
“We are doing an on-site inspection to assess this measure along with all the stakeholders involved. I believe it is a complex piece of legislation that proposes many changes. That is my view. This is definitely a piece of legislation that carries economic impact, and that is because the games produce revenue for the government. It is not carved in stone; there might be further amendments made to the bill, and I always try to look at the bright side of things.”
Gaming Commission and Tourism Leaders Air Redirection Concerns
Despite the projected revenue increases, regulatory chiefs and tourism leaders raised formal complaints regarding the structural expansion. Juan Santaella Marchán, Executive Director of the Gaming Commission, warned that the bill risks simply shifting player spend around without creating organic industry growth:
“The concerns we have come from the fact that the casino industry is quite highly regulated. There is a great amount of requirements to open a casino, and now the proposal will be to open the market just to generate more income. Our position is to ensure that apart from generating more income with this project, we make sure that the redistribution of gambling revenue will not be the only outcome.”
Fabiola Pagán Meléndez, speaking on behalf of the Hotel and Tourism Association, raised intense alarms regarding the lower security standards typical of standalone, non-hotel poker clubs:
“We see that this project brings up several concerns for us because it is really scary and we do not see that it will generate more income for the government of Puerto Rico. In fact, this measure will redistribute gamblers, taking away players from casinos that have the required security standards. In this kind of poker game, players play against each other, not against the house. Therefore, such games might pose security problems if played in an environment without the same safety precautions and security staff, which will certainly harm Puerto Rico’s image as a tourist destination.”
