A group supporting gaming in Bahía de Caráquez in Ecuador’s Manabí Province has turned in a petition with almost 7,000 signatures to the National Electoral Council.
If the group collects 10 percent of total residents within 180 days a referendum will be authorized and voters would have the chance to decide whether to lift a longstanding ban on casinos.
A spokesman for the group said, “Once CNE approves the signatures they will release a report which will let us know if the referendum will go ahead or not,” adding, “We believe that with the momentum behind it, the consultation could be carried out before or in conjunction with the next regional elections [scheduled to take place on 24 March 2019.”
The country banned casinos in 2011. Before that the country had a flourishing gaming industry dating back to 1949.
