Tired of the industry remained shuttered due to the coronavirus pandemic, casino employees in Peru marched to Congress demanding the government reopen the gambling halls. The casinos shut down in March due to the coronavirus pandemic. The industry employs some 86,000 directly.
Mirtha Vásquez, president of the Peruvian Congress, met with casino officials over the last weekend of November.
The National Chamber of Tourism issued a statement earlier in November asking former President Manuel Merino to reopen various sectors, including casinos and slot machines. The statement pointed out that the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism had approved protocols to minimize risk of infection, according to SBCAmericas.
“We’re already in compliance with protocols,” Johan Escalante, a representative of the casino employees, told local media outlet Exitosa. “All betting rooms have been adapted to comply with the guidelines established by the Ministry of Health.”
The National Superintendence of Customs and Tax Administration said the closures resulted in a 21.8 percent drop in taxes in September, or around $232 million.
