Uruguay is moving forward with the transfer of Casino Parque Hotel, located in Parque Rodó, Montevideo, from the Municipality of Montevideo (Intendencia de Montevideo – IM) to the Directorate General of Casinos (Dirección General de Casinos – DGC), an agency under the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF). The move, confirmed by Montevideo Mayor Mario Bergara, restructures one of the capital’s most historic gaming venues, which for decades operated under municipal administration and will now come under national controlled by the ministry headed by Gabriel Oddone París.
The central issue is not merely administrative. Montevideo will cease directly operating its municipal casino, while the national government assumes control through the State Casinos system. The DGC already manages state-run casinos, gaming halls and related operations throughout Uruguay, making the transfer part of a broader effort to centralize casino management and oversight.
Mayor Mario Bergara
Casino Parque Hotel occupies a unique place in Uruguay’s gaming history. Located inside the historic Parque Hotel building, one of Montevideo’s best-known heritage properties, the venue has long been part of the city’s tourism, entertainment and gaming landscape. The casino currently operates slot machines and gaming facilities under municipal management and has historically served both local customers and visitors to the capital. The transition will allow the DGC to replace aging equipment with newer-generation gaming machines and integrate the property into the national casino network, which already operates with more modern slot inventories and centralized management systems.
Bergara stated that the approximately 50 employees currently working at the casino will not be transferred to the Directorate General of Casinos. Most are eligible for retirement, while others will be reassigned to different municipal departments. “There is no employment risk,” the mayor said while discussions continue with labor unions. Union leader Silvia Tejera criticized the process and expressed concern over the loss of a municipal service with a long institutional history.
The structure of the transfer was outlined by Camilo Benítez, Director of Economic Development for the Municipality of Montevideo. The municipality will not transfer its gaming license to the MEF. Instead, it will sell part of the casino’s furniture and equipment, potentially dispose of some remaining slot machines, and lease the building to the national government. The DGC will operate under its own license and gaming authorization framework, while negotiations are expected to conclude between August and September 2026.
Camilo Benítez
The transition has already triggered management changes. A resolution signed by Bergara on June 9, 2026, terminated the appointment of Lorena Infante as Casino Manager and reassigned her as Purchasing Manager due to the “imminent transfer” of the operation.
What comes next includes final negotiations between the Municipality and the MEF, valuation of assets, execution of the lease agreement, selection of future operators and the operational migration of Casino Parque Hotel into the national casino structure. Political debate is also intensifying, as the Montevideo branch of the National Party, chaired by Senator Martín Lema, continues to advocate for the casino’s permanent closure.
