Anti-statehood opposition parties officially boycotted the referendum on the grounds it was \u201crigged\u201d in favor of statehood, or so they claim. Nevertheless, according to the ruling Partido Nuevo Progresista (PNP) party, the people have spoken.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis result is more than enough to take to Washington and urge Congress to do the right thing,\u201d Luis Rivera Mar\u00edn, PNP secretary of state, told the UK’s Guardian<\/em>, denouncing the boycott of the referendum as \u201ca sham.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\u201cIn the democratic process there is no such thing as a boycott,\u201d he said. \u201cIn this system, if you don\u2019t vote, you don\u2019t count.\u201d<\/p>\n
Casino Industry Hit Hard<\/h2>\n
Puerto Rico has been gripped by an enervating recession over the past decade, which has affected its once thriving tourism and casino industries both. The island has 12 main casinos, most of which are based inside hotel properties, but a handful have closed down in recent years.<\/p>\n
Most recently, the El San Juan Hotel announced it would not be reopening its casino facilities following an extensive renovation in February, due to \u201cchallenging economic and industry dynamics,\u201d although it may choose to reopen it in the future, hotel executives said.<\/p>\n
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It\u2019s not merely the recession that is presenting challenges to the island\u2019s gaming sector. Increased competition from emerging regional casino markets across the US has diminished Puerto Rico\u2019s importance as a gambling destination for Americans. There\u2019s more rivalry from within as well, with clandestine businesses purveying unlicensed and untaxed slot machines springing up in recent years across the island.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\nMeanwhile, Puerto Rico\u2019s licensing regime is in dire need of reform. An onerous revenue-based tax on slots has grown more punitive as industry volume declines. Gambling reforms have been proposed, but have stalled in the legislature.<\/p>\n
The PNP believes that joining the United States on equal terms would bring in extra funding that would help to drag the island out of recession. But for many Puerto Ricans, statehood has its drawbacks.<\/p>\n
Higher Costs, But Lower Taxes<\/h2>\n
Currently, residents of the island are only required to pay federal income taxes on money earned on the US mainland. With food already 22 percent more expensive than in the continental US, and public services 64 percent higher, additional taxes would be a burden on a struggling populace.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, many foreign corporations based on the island, which also pay higher taxes now, would likely relocate.<\/p>\n
Many Puerto Ricans opposed Sunday\u2019s referendum on the grounds that it would cost millions and would likely achieve very little.<\/p>\n
In a similar referendum in 2012, 61 percent of those who voted were in favor of statehood, with a much higher voter turnout, but no action was taken by Congress to forward the complex measure.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Puerto Rico, like many tourist destinations with balmy temperatures, has long offered casinos as a lure to visitors. But an economy that is now in shambles has affected the island nation’s gaming industry, and on Sunday,\u00a0Puerto Ricans voted emphatically for statehood, although an even more emphatic number stayed at home. Ninety-seven percent of those who […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":42,"featured_media":52120,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[62,10,18,61],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Puerto Rico Casinos Could Benefit Should American Statehood Materialize<\/title>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\n\n\n\n\n\t\n\t\n\t\n