President of Ecuador Demands All Casino Gambling to Become Illegal

President of Ecuador Demands All Casino Gambling to Become Illegal

On February 5, Rafael Correa, the de-facto president of Ecuador, proposed ten radical constitutional amendments, causing the majority of his cabinet to resign, and moving the country closer to a Venezuela style Socialist quasi-dictatorship. President Correa has decreed that all casinos, all forms of gambling, online sportsbooks in Ecuador, and bullfighting should become illegal and has submitted his proposal to the Constitutional Court to ratify within 45 days.

Mr. Correa has a strong opinion that gambling at 'foreign owned casinos' must be ended and the casinos nationalized. There are currently just 13 major casinos in Ecuador, and limited legal sportsbooks.