Rodrigo Larraín, General Manager of Chilean casino operator Enjoy, has asked the Chile government for support in order to continue with the reorganization process that the company is going through to avoid bankruptcy.
Enjoy is seeking new measures to help it continue operations in the country, such as the postponement of the licensing process, or the payment of the local gaming tax.
“[The emergency] has a dramatic impact and serious future risks on thousands of jobs and hundreds of SME providers, which are primary sources of income for regional and municipal governments, and the activity and economy in general,” he said.
Last week, the Chamber of Deputies approved the formation of a Special Investigative Commission to review the measures taken by the authorities to navigate the crisis. This new body will investigate the gambling industry, and Enjoy in particular, after filing for insolvency.
“As a company, we will collaborate with this commission and we immediately make ourselves available, not only to guarantee a successful work but also to promote urgent changes that allow our industry to overcome this crisis,” added Larraín.
Despite asking the government for help, Enjoy clarified that it is not seeking government resources, but emphasized that the “support will be decisive for the success of our reorganization”.
The manager explained that the call for support comes weeks after the Superintendency of Gambling Casinos (SCJ) established the closure of all casinos in the country until Chile can be deemed safe from the global health emergency. The company has also made cuts at its facilities in Mendoza, Argentina, and Punta del Este, Uruguay.