When you are thinking about Costa Rica, you are probably imagining jungles and beaches, not slot machines and poker tables, yet here we are. Costa Rica became a place where the casino industry is booming and became a tourist attraction.
However, the birth of the casino industry in Costa Rica isnât accidental. We are talking about a place with over 40 casinos, specifically designed with the purpose of attracting tourists.
Why do we say that? Can locals also have fun playing some slot games? Not exactly.
Even though it is not illegal in Costa Rica to gamble, there are certain restrictions. Online casino apps are legal thanks to Law 13/2011, but not for everyone.
One of the most shocking ones is that gambling businesses are prohibited from providing their services to Costa Ricans, both online and in land-based casinos.
This means that the entire casino industry in Costa Rica was built for one purpose online – to attract tourists. Letâs explore the economic benefits of casinos in Costa Rica and find out whether their plan worked.
The Economic Boost of Casinos in Costa Rica
Casinos in Costa Rica arenât new, in fact, gambling has been âlegalâ here since 1922 under Law No. 42, but their tourism pull kicked up a notch in the 2000s.
Fast forward to today, and casinos add a significant piece of the pie (money generated from tourism). The country has more than 40 licensed casinos, mostly in the San JosĂŠ region, and they are all big hotels, with pools, nightclubs, restaurants, and of course many casino games.
The travel and tourism market are projected to generate close to 340 million this year, which is a significant part of the countryâs GDP. We are talking about an industry that has a growth rate of 6.42%.
Thatâs not chump change: itâs jobsâdealers, bartenders, securityâadding roughly 5,000 direct roles, and indirect gigs like taxi drivers and hotel staff pushing it higher.
If you look at the countryâs GDP over the years, you can see a huge spike, growing from $62 billion in 2020 to $86.5 billion in 2024, and a large portion of the countryâs rise in GDP has to do with tourism.
Small Towns, Big Changes
But it is not only San JosĂŠ, you can find casinos popping even in the quieter spots like Liberia or JacĂł. JacĂł is a town of 10,000 people and a place where you can find the Crocâs Resort & Casino which managed to generate $10 million in revenue last year. So, obviously, it is a popular tourist destination.
The government in Costa Rica is smart with this move. They all know that the casino industry can be a fuel that can take their tourism to the next level, and since there is big money in circulation, this means that they will generate more in taxes. These taxes are later used for fixing the roads, improving the countryâs infrastructure, health system, and schools, and also improving tourism.
But itâs not all rosy: rents spiked 20% since 2022, pricing out some locals who canât match tourist wallets. Traditionâs bending tooâsince casinos donât care much about these things, and they are only interested in making a profit.
Casinos and Eco-Mix
Costa Ricaâs tourism brand is âPura Vidaââpure life, tied to rainforests and zip lines. Casinos add a twist: in 2024, 15% of U.S. visitors (about 240,000 of 1.6 million) hit a casino during their trip, up from 10% in 2020, according to a Visit Costa Rica survey.
Theyâre not ditching the jungleâ70% still visit national parks âbut a night at the tables is now part of the package. Hotels like the Marriott in San JosĂŠ, with its 200-slot casino, saw a 25% revenue bump in 2024, blending eco-stays with gambling glitz.
Itâs a win for the economyâtourismâs 8.2% of GDPâbut it is a double-edged sword. Not everyone here appreciates the fact that casinos are now in charge of tourism in Costa Rica. After all, important stuff that needs to be seen in the country is often skipped due to long gambling sessions.
How Does the Future Look Like
Costa Ricaâs casino tourism isnât slowing downâICTâs 2022-2027 plan targets 3.8 million visitors by 2027, with gambling as a quiet booster.
By 2025, online bettingâs legal (since 2011, Law 13/2011), but physical casinos still rule, with revenue projected at $180 million, a 20% jump from 2023.
Thatâs more jobsâmaybe 6,000 direct by yearâs endâand tax dollars for a government eyeing 4% GDP growth.
Yet the social threadâs fraying: rural leaders in Guanacaste told La NaciĂłn in 2024 that they want tighter rules to keep their towns from turning into âmini-Vegas.â But this is the price a country needs to pay in order to get all the benefits from hotel and casino tourism.