Ex-Rep. Matos García opposes gaming sector bill in Senate.

Cites risks to casino industry, police pensions

By THE STAR STAFF

Former House District 40 (Carolina) representative and past chair of the House Tourism Committee Ángel Matos García voiced strenuous opposition on Wednesday to Senate Bill 960, introduced by Sen. Rosana Soto Aguiló. He warned that the measure threatens the economic stability of Puerto Rico’s gaming and casino industry and could ultimately reduce police pensions.

Senate Bill 960 seeks to broaden and ease regulations on authorized gaming modalities across the island. The proposal includes expanding licenses and creating new opportunities for electronic gaming operations and other digital platforms. According to its sponsor, the bill aims to increase government revenue and modernize Puerto Rico’s entertainment offerings. However, critics argue that the local market is already showing signs of saturation.

Matos García said the proposal overlooks the economic realities of the sector and the limited size of Puerto Rico’s market.

“Puerto Rico does not have the population or the tourist flow to sustain an indiscriminate expansion of gaming,” he said. “This bill starts from a false premise -- that more machines and more licenses automatically mean more revenue -- when experience shows us the opposite.”

The former legislator emphasized that a proliferation of new licenses and gaming formats could further fragment an already limited revenue pool, impacting traditional casinos in particular. Those establishments, he noted, remain a significant source of employment and tourism activity.

“What this measure proposes is dividing the same amount of money among more operators,” Matos García said. “That’s not economic growth; that’s revenue dilution and, eventually, losses.”

He also warned of the bill’s potential impact on the tourism industry, stressing the historical role casinos have played as anchors for Puerto Rico’s hotel sector.

“Casinos in Puerto Rico not only generate income but are an essential component of the tourist experience,” the former lawmaker said. “Weakening that industry through an oversupply of gaming threatens jobs, investment, and the island’s competitiveness as a destination.”

Matos García urged the Legislature to conduct a more rigorous economic evaluation of the proposal and to consider market studies before approving any further expansion.

“Before authorizing more gaming options that put police pensions at risk, the government must ask whether the market can sustain them,” he said. “Today the answer is clear: it cannot. If approved, this bill will cause the industry to lose money, not gain it.”

Matos García reiterated his willingness to collaborate on alternatives that strengthen the gaming sector without jeopardizing its long-term viability.