Casino Report from Argentina and Uruguay

I finally published it on my Odds page — Casino Report from Argentina and Uruguay. These travel reports may be easy to read, but they take many hours to write and format, so I hope you'll have a look.

I welcome all questions, comments, and corrections.

What were the people like? Were they Euro looking
or more native indian. What did they smell like? Was
there a lot of cologne in the air, or sweat, or spicy
food smells. What were the majority of men wearing,
American looking clothes, or the white shirt and dark
pants that seems to be a world wide uniforn in many
countries.

What casinos smell like is really important. I was in one
somewhere outside of the States and the smell of BO
was so strong I couldn't play there. Kinda like riding
a public bus in Rome in July. If you can stop the automatic
retching reflex from the smell of garlic sweat, you're better
than I am..

There's a little booboo where you say something about a racino, you sued the phrase "Hipódromo race track." The first word "Hipódromo" is Spanish for race track. trust me on that, I pass by "El Hipódromo de Las Americas" every day to and from work :)

Quote: Nareed

There's a little booboo where you say something about a racino, you sued the phrase "Hipódromo race track." The first word "Hipódromo" is Spanish for race track. trust me on that, I pass by "El Hipódromo de Las Americas" every day to and from work :)

Sorry for the unrelated post, but we use the word "Pierogis" all the time to talk about those Polish dumplings, and that is basically double pluralizing. So is "Hipódromo race track" really so wrong?

Quote: kaysirtap

So is "Hipódromo race track" really so wrong?

Yes. You know how saying "ATM machine" is a pleonasm, because you're saying "Automated Teller Machine machine"? Well, "Hipódromo race track" is like saying "ATM automated teller machine." Or like actually saying the "race track race track" :)

Quote: Wizard

I finally published it on my Odds page — Casino Report from Argentina and Uruguay. These travel reports may be easy to read, but they take many hours to write and format, so I hope you'll have a look.

I welcome all questions, comments, and corrections.

Thanks for that Wizard. I consistently enjoy reading your adventures, and appreciate the work that goes into them.

You mention that the main game there is roulette. Why do you think that is? Is it a matter of "Build it and they will come...", or is there something cultural that makes that particular game popular in that region of the world?

Are the USD and Peso chips clearly different? Do some joints use both?

It was interesting to see the chip with the "dedos" sculpture, and the picture of the real thing.

There is a stray editor's comment in the "Summary" section of the write up on the Trilenium

Thanks guys for the comments. Here are my counter-comments.

1. I hit on what the people look like in my blog entry on Buenos Aires. However, since you ask, Argentina and Uruguay are very white. Much more than the US.
2. About the smell, the Puerto Madero smelled a little musty, but not quite enough to mention it writing. I did note that the third floor of the Trillenium was very smoky. Other than that, I didn't really notice the smells, good or bad. My sense of smell is not very strong to begin with.
3. Thanks, I did not know that Hipódromo is Spanish for racetrack. I fixed that. Any common root to the word Hipopótamo = hippopotamus?
4. Thanks for catching the editors remark, I missed that.
5. I could only speculate on why roulette is so big in Argentina. Perhaps because gambling is fairly new to the country, so they wanted to start with something easy to understand. It also has a French aura about it, and the people of Argentina are big on all things European, as long as it isn't from Spain. I'm told that is why there is so much French, Italian, and Greek architecture there -- anything but Spanish.
6. I'm glad somebody liked my picture of the dedos, along with the scan of the chip. Despite being very touristy, I think the dedos are a very artistic and cool idea.

Yes, hipo means horse in greek(?). hipodrome is a "horse course", while hippopotamus means "river horse".

Quote: Wizard

I could only speculate on why roulette is so big in Argentina.

Its big in Europe, like you said, so its big in S America. Its
considered the game of aristocrats and poorer people feel
good playing it.

Actually roulette is the cheapest game to play in any casino in south america, because usually the minnimum bet is 1 unit. There are not such tables as in the US where you find U$10 mins!
Other point, I think that Mr. Wizard lost the opportunity to know the best casino in Argentina, that is the Iguazu Grand, IMO. It is not as big as the one in Puerto Madero, but i am pretty sure it is much more well organized than the "Boat".
It is from our culture to have cheques only in US dollars, or only in a different currency. You will not find in south america two kinds of cheques as I have seen in Dominican Republic, for exemaple. So you must always exchange money and buy chips in the proper denomination.
About the ethinical question, I'd say that the Amerindians will mostbly be found in Peru or Bolivia.
Btw, Wizard, I agree with you about Conrad. It is indeed a great casino to play.

Quote: aluisio

Other point, I think that Mr. Wizard lost the opportunity to know the best casino in Argentina, that is the Iguazu Grand, IMO.

Yeah, I'm still kicking myself over that. Everything I read said there was just one casino in Iguazu, so I assumed the Panoramic was it. The Iguazu Grand should advertise more. I don't see how the average visitor would know it was there.

It is true that in my visits I haven't noticed many american pals over there. They do strongly advise in Brazilian magazines and newspapers and I not rarely get some invitations via e-mail. The comps in Argentina are very stingy but sometimes they have nice deals to offer. Is it appropriate to ask in which context did you come south?

Quote: aluisio

Is it appropriate to ask in which context did you come south?

I take it you mean, why did I come to South America. It gives me something to write about, and I love traveling.

Is it rude to ask what a trip like this set you back? I've
never been to S America.

Quote: Wizard

I take it you mean, why did I come to South America. It gives me something to write about, and I love traveling.

That's interesting. I hope your expectations were not frustrated and you have enjoyed our humble continent. Everytime I head back home from North America it feels so empty, haha!

Quote: aluisio

That's interesting. I hope your expectations were not frustrated and you have enjoyed our humble continent. Everytime I head back home from North America it feels so empty, haha!

I had a good time, and any problems were my own fault. It could have been planned better. I need to go back and do it right next time.

Error?? The word "link" appears where I think you meant to include a hypertext link near the end of the Puerto Madero section.

It might be interesting to note the parallels between South American Gambling versus the American Indian Gambling.

Casinos often small and in remote locations somewhat off the beaten path for tourists and often offering a bare-boned operation of less than stellar returns.
Then perhaps you can note the current boom in Indian gambling and the trend for Indian casinos to be adding full featured amenities such as hotels, spas, movies, nightclubs, etc.
Perhaps the South American gambling industry will follow the same trend towards "Las Vegas Casinos" or at least towards their public image.

Note as to Roulette: I understand in the UK, Europe and South Africa it is the same way. Roulette is king.

Quote: FleaStiff

Error?? The word "link" appears where I think you meant to include a hypertext link near the end of the Puerto Madero section.

Thanks. I did indeed forget to add the link.

Quote: FleaStiff

It might be interesting to note the parallels between South American Gambling versus the American Indian Gambling.

Gambling doesn't seem to have really caught on in Argentina yet. At the two B.A. casinos it looked like mostly degenerate gamblers who had been playing all day. As I tried to say in the part with the missing link, they need only go to Panama to see how to make their casinos more fun, without going to the enormous expense of building something on a Vegas scale.

Quote: FleaStiff

Note as to Roulette: I understand in the UK, Europe and South Africa it is the same way. Roulette is king.

Not counting Antarctica, Africa is the only continent I haven't been to, so I can't speak to it. However, the roulette share is much higher in Argentina than what I've seen of Europe (France, Germany, Monte Carlo). Here are my rough estimates of roulette as a percentage of total table games:

Argentina: 40%
Europe: 20%
U.S: 10%

>Thanks. I did indeed forget to add the link.
In about the same area, there is a lack of a carriage return that seems strange. You discuss a list of prizes for slot club members and then there is a bold faced "Drinks". What you meant is that the next subject heading is "Drinks" and the paragraph about slot clubs is over.

>Gambling doesn't seem to have really caught on in Argentina yet.
157 casinos listed. Perhaps these are mainly tiny slot parlors or something. The word can be misleading.
> At the two B.A. casinos it looked like mostly degenerate gamblers who had been playing all day.
Well, Buenes Aires probably never touts itself as a gambling mecca or even as a mecca for sin of any sort.

> Here are my rough estimates of roulette as a percentage of total table games:
Argentina: 40%
Europe: 20%
U.S: 10%
I guess you can measure by Dollar Amount Waged, Number of tables, Number of players, etc. but such things as hiring patterns are important also. In the USA most casinos want to see "Blackjack and something else" in dealer applicants, but I understand that in many other countries its "Roulette and Blackjack".

Thanks, indeed I forgot to format that carriage return.

157 casinos for a whole continent is not that many. I think these are legitimate casinos with table games, but most of them are small. I think the typical thing is that a city above a certain population, perhaps 50,000 or so, will have just one casino. They don't cluster in certain cities like we do here.

Quote: Wizard

I had a good time, and any problems were my own fault. It could have been planned better. I need to go back and do it right next time.

Chile has just been approved for the Visa Waiver Program. Argentina and Uruguay who were both members about 12 years ago may have their status restored. Brazil is hoping to be approved for the first time.

The VWP affects foreign national who want to visit the USA. They can come with a machine readable passport, and don't need a visa. But it effects US travellers as well, because a country will often make the US citizens pay reciprocity fees, or some other hassle until they get VW permission for their own citizen.

This may hail a new era of increased travel back and forth from the Southern Cone.

The VWP now covers 38 countries. Primarily 24/28 of the countries of the EU (except Bulgaria, Cyprus, Poland, and Romania) and the remaining countries of Europe like Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and principalities like San MArino, Andorra, and Monaco. Also Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Tawain, Singapore, Brunei plus Australia and New Zealands. Canadian and Mexican regulations are different from the rest of the world. Canadians obviously don't need a visa, but they are not said to be involved in the VWP.

Quote: pacomartin

Chile has just been approved for the Visa Waiver Program. Argentina and Uruguay who were both members about 12 years ago may have their status restored. Brazil is hoping to be approved for the first time.

The VWP affects foreign national who want to visit the USA. They can come with a machine readable passport, and don't need a visa. But it effects US travellers as well, because a country will often make the US citizens pay reciprocity fees, or some other hassle until they get VW permission for their own citizen.

This may hail a new era of increased travel back and forth from the Southern Cone.

The VWP now covers 38 countries. Primarily 24/28 of the countries of the EU (except Bulgaria, Cyprus, Poland, and Romania) and the remaining countries of Europe like Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and principalities like San MArino, Andorra, and Monaco. Also Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Tawain, Singapore, Brunei plus Australia and New Zealands. Canadian and Mexican regulations are different from the rest of the world. Canadians obviously don't need a visa, but they are not said to be involved in the VWP.

Does this affect their usurious visa as well as "landing" fees to enter the country? If I recall, Argentina and Brazil both have high ones; Uruguay does not.

I prefer to visit Peru when I visit South America. I just bought a ticket to Cusco.

>Since I tipped her 250 centavos, I think she let the fee slide.

>Then the supervisor was falling all over himself trying to offer a drink to my lovely guide, who wasn't even playing.
>I think she was the only woman on the entire floor, let alone an attractive one, so I couldn't really blame him for trying.

It may not have been her attractiveness, it may have been your tipping behavior. 250 Centavos may not be much, but it only has to be substantially more than the locals would normally tip for there to be sudden interest and activity.

Quote: teddys

Does this affect their usurious visa as well as "landing" fees to enter the country? If I recall, Argentina and Brazil both have high ones; Uruguay does not.
I prefer to visit Peru when I visit South America. I just bought a ticket to Cusco.

When the United States increased its fee for a non-petition-based non-immigrant visa to $160 on April 13, 2012, countries such as Chile, Argentina and Brazil which impose reciprocity visa fees to American citizens increased theirs accordingly to match. Uruguay did not impose a fee.

With Chile permitted to join the Visa Waiver Program, as of February 26, 2014, USA is now exempt from paying the visa reciprocity fee of $160, but must still pay a Travel Authorization fee of $14. Canadian citizens are not exempt.

The Visa Waiver Program of the United States, allows nationals of designated member participants to travel to the United States for tourism or business — B visa category — purposes for up to a maximum of 90 days without obtaining a visa.

If Brazil and Argentina are put into the program, they will presumably drop their fees for American Citizens.

While Peru has requested a roadmap, they presumably realize they are a long way from getting into the VWP. They see no reason to discourage the American tourists they currently draw.

Most nonstop passengers from USA to Santiago Chile fly through Miami @ 4150 miles (big surprise), but there are a number of nonstop USA destinations. Flights through Mexico City or Panama City are also widely available.

LAN Airlines: Miami, Los Angeles, New York-JFK Seasonal: Orlando
American Airlines: Miami, Dallas/Fort Worth
Delta Air Lines: Atlanta
United Airlines: Houston-Intercontinental (begins December 8, 2014)

It's probably too far to for an offprice airline

Miles from SCL in Chile
4150 MIA
4340 MCO Orlando
4650 Hou
4720 ATL
4900 DFW
5130 JFK
5590 LAX

3000 PTY Panama City

Quote: The wizard

I finally published it on my Odds page — Casino Report from Argentina and Uruguay. These travel reports may be easy to read, but they take many hours to write and format, so I hope you'll have a look.

I welcome all questions, comments, and corrections.

Wizard,
Very nice report you wrote.
I am from Argentina , and know Uruguay Casinos too.
I must add some info about Argentina gaming business.

We have Iguazu, Puerto Madero and Trillenium. But, we have Casinos in each provinces(states) probably bigger than Puerto madero and Trillenium.
You talked about the racino "Hipodromo Argentino de Palermo"
There are many other "racino" like places scattered all round Buenos Aires capital city. They all have table and electromecanics games.
Roulette is the favourite game here, we have got many auto-wheels from different manufactures. Many slot have high chip value. As inflation fluctuates here, we sometimes have an expensive or cheap minimun.

We also have "Mar del Plata" city Casino which used to be the largest in the world before the US industries by 1960.

Little by little, Argentina is becoming a gambling country.

I know, you as a visitor cannot see each gambling detail.

Warm regards