Trouble for Costa Rican Online Gambling Industry

While the online gambling industry in Costa Rica has been hugely successful in the past, pressure from law enforcement and prosecutors from the U.S. has resulted in a number of setbacks and the industry is beginning to show signs of strain.

Critics in Costa Rica are claiming that the AGA (American Gaming Association) has adopted the upcoming film ‘Runner Runner’ as part of its efforts to discredit online poker in Costa Rica. The AGA wishes for online poker to be legalized in the US and as such, Costa Rican critics are claiming that the organization is using the film portray a negative image of Costa Rica’s industry.

However, in all likelihood, the problems with the gambling industry in Costa Rica are much deeper rooted. Since Black Friday Costa Rica’s online gambling industry has shrunk considerably.

There are now just a few operational call centers which will accept sports bets, most of which are run by bookies with U.S. clients who can run their businesses from a smartphone.

Furthermore a number of major brands have left the market due to a lack of regulation. This combined with the limited U.S. market and a number of internal disagreements may have signaled the end for the Costa Rican market.