Gambling911.com - Costa Rica

Fallout From Costa Rica Raids Continues

Jagajeet Chiba — Fri, 20 May 2011 02:19:58 +0000

The fallout from a raid on the Costa Rican offices of Absolute Poker/ UB.com continues

Absolute Poker Head of Customer Service Arrested Earlier This Week

C Costigan — Sat, 14 May 2011 15:03:13 +0000

Olman Rimola, former head of Absolute Poker / UB.com’s customer service arm Innovative Data Solutions, was arrested earlier this week in Costa Rica following a raid on that company’s office the prior week.

Strong Earthquakes Hits Online Gambling Hub of Costa Rica: Some Damage Reported

Sat, 14 May 2011 03:28:04 +0000

A magnitude-6 earthquake shook the capital city of Costa Rica on Friday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Blanca Games Issues Statement re: Costa Rica Raids on Absolute Poker, UB.com Office

Sat, 07 May 2011 13:44:52 +0000

Blanca Games Inc. (“Blanca”), operator of online poker rooms Absolute Poker and UB, issued the following statement today:

Head of Employment Agency Threatens to Report UB.com to Feds

C Costigan — Fri, 06 May 2011 22:28:12 +0000

An early morning raid on the Costa Rican offices of UB.com and Absolute Poker Friday appears to have stemmed from a feud between company officials and the head of an employment agency let go by UB.com earlier in the week.

Interpol Will Not Detain Execs of Indicted Online Poker Companies in Costa Rica

Jagajeet Chiba — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 16:21:23 +0000

Indicted officials working for PokerStars and UB.com living and working in Costa Rica will not have to worry about being detained by Interpol.

Online Gambling Mecca of Costa Rica Makes Residency More Difficult

Jagajeet Chiba — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 17:13:35 +0000

Citing a serious “immigration problem”, the world’s biggest online gambling center, Costa Rica, has imposed stiffer residency requirements.

New Directive Will Reference Online Gambling Base Costa Rica as North America

C Costigan — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 02:25:45 +0000

Beginning this week, the Gambling News and Odds Authority Gambling911.com will role out a new policy. Its writers have been given the directive to reference all Costa Rican and Panamanian-based online gambling sites as being “based in North America”.

Costa Rica Announces Online Gambling Tax Plans

C Costigan — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 13:32:18 +0000

As widely reported here on Gambling911.com, the Central American online gambling haven of Costa Rica has once again decided it would like to tax such enterprises. Similar attempts in the past have failed.

Readers React to Costa Rica Hotel Del Rey Crime Story

C Costigan — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 01:11:13 +0000

One of the hottest stories on the Gambling911.com website Friday was Jagajeet Chiba’s look at escalating crime in Costa Rica, highlighted by a multiple shooting spree in front of the infamous Hotel Del Rey, which is a favorite stomping ground for online gambling operators and employees.

Shooting at Online Gambling Hotbed Highlights Costa Rica Crime Escalation

C Costigan — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 17:39:03 +0000

News on Wednesday that there was a shooting outside the popular San Jose, Costa Rica online gambling hangout of the infamous Hotel Del Rey has sent shockwaves through the sector.

Online Gambling Hotspot Hotel Del Rey Shot At

C Costigan — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 02:36:26 +0000

It is the hangout of every online gambling operator and their employees in Costa Rica….the infamous Hotel Del Rey.

U.S. Navy Joins Forces With Marines In Online Gambling Haven Costa Rica

C Costigan — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:08:38 +0000

First the online gambling Mecca of Costa Rica announced grandiose plans to have some 7000 U.S. Marines occupy that Central American nation, now comes word that the Legislative Assembly has granted docking permission to the 800-meter navy ship USS Iwo Jima, scheduled to arrive in the Caribbean port of Limón in late August.

Costa Rica President Defends US Marines Presence: Online Gambling Operators Balk

C Costigan — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 02:44:39 +0000

Online gambling operators in the Central American nation of Costa Rica expressed little concern over the 7000 US Marines deployed there to deal with the escalating drug crisis.

700 US Marines Land in Costa Rica Online Gambling Haven

Alejandro Botticelli — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 15:23:07 +0000

It is home to a few hundred online gambling ventures, many of which operate in the shadows. Costa Rica has long been a country without an army….that is until now.

Chinchilla Hopes to Tax Online Gambling in Costa Rica

C Costigan — Fri, 07 May 2010 21:22:51 +0000

The first female President of Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla, looks to raise money by taxing that Central American nation's expansive online gambling business. Most of the North American facing online betting businesses, both poker and sports betting, originate in Costa Rica, often referred to as "The Switzerland of Central America".

Costa Rica Government Will Become Bookie for Soccer

Alistair Prescott — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 15:58:52 +0000

AM Costa Rica is reporting that the Costa Rican government is set to enter the bookmaker business, just in time for the 2010 World Cup.

Costa Rican Sportsbooks Respond to Recent Arrests

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:38:48 +0000

Though 36 arrests on United States soil this week rattled the online gaming industry, operations are continuing as normal in Costa Rica.

Online Gambling Would Welcome Rush Limbaugh to Costa Rica

C Costigan — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 04:36:00 +0000

Radio host Rush Limbaugh has suggested that should President Obama’s health plan sail through Congress, he will pack up his things and move to Costa Rica.

Stateside Bookies, Costa Rica Business Indicted

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 03:12:09 +0000

A federal indictment unsealed today charged four men and two companies with running an illegal gambling business that attracted about $3.6 million in bets over three years.

Online Gambling Mecca Costa Rica Elects 1st Woman

C Costigan — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 16:45:21 +0000

Laura Chinchilla has been elected the first woman President of Costa Rica. That Central American nation is home to more online gambling websites than anywhere else on the planet.

Poker Hater Joan Rivers Detained at Costa Rica Airport

Jordan Bach — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 22:04:14 +0000

What was comedian Joan Rivers doing in Costa Rica? Perhaps looking for some of her online poker friends over at UB.com? That's the website that is represented by Rivers arch Celebrity Apprentice nemesis Annie Duke and they are based in CR.

Online Gambling Industry in Costa Rica Goes Green

Jagajeet Chiba — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 03:07:24 +0000

The online gambling Mecca of San Jose, Costa Rica, is about to go green thanks to one soul known as "Search Engine Bob".

Costa Rica President has Swine Flu

C Costigan — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 01:20:18 +0000

Costa Rica is home to the largest concentration of online gambling sites in the world. The Central American nation’s President has now been confirmed with Swine Flu.

Gambling Companies Could Leave Costa Rica if Taxed

C Costigan — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 08:56:02 +0000

Following news over the past two weeks that the Government of Costa Rica is considering taxing online gambling firms operating in that country, operators have told Gambling911.com they would leave if push comes to shove.