Buenos Aires awards Mar del Plata casino concession to union and tech firm
The 20-year deal for the Casino Sasso ends years of temporary extensions and requires investment in the venue.
MAR DEL PLATA · A joint venture between the tourism workers' union UTHGRA and Yukon Technology S.A. has won a 20-year concession to operate the Casino Sasso in Mar del Plata. The Buenos Aires provincial government formalized the award through a resolution from its lottery and casino institute. This ends a period where the casino had operated under temporary extensions since 2019. The concession covers electronic gaming machines, gaming control systems and the refurbishment of the casino facilities.
The consortium, UTHGRA, Yukon Technology S.A., scored 64 points in the technical evaluation for the tender. Under the agreement, it will receive 61 per cent of the monthly profits from the electronic gaming machines, with the province getting the remaining 39 per cent. This final profit share is lower than the consortium's initial proposal of 65.9 per cent. The deal includes an option for a one-year extension at the regulator's discretion.
The award is part of a broader public tender launched in April 2025 that covered seven provincial casinos. That process sought long-term investment to modernize slot machine fleets and improve gaming facilities. Only four venues, including the Sasso, attracted bids. The other three reportedly received no offers due to the investment needed to upgrade their buildings.
Security requirements are part of the new concession, with the provincial institute approving the operator's security plan. The precise number of police officers required at the venue will be set in the final contract. The casino was previously run by Boldt S.A. and closed temporarily for about 20 days in January 2025 after a dispute over security service payments affected some 30 employees. For UTHGRA, led by Luis Barrionuevo, the deal marks a direct entry into casino operations in a major Argentine tourism destination. The concession for the Sasso follows the separate award of Mar del Plata's Hermitage casino to a consortium led by Boldt. The Sasso agreement remains subject to the signing of a formal contract, which will set the start date and detailed obligations.