The death toll from the devastating twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24 has risen to 2,295, more than 11,000 people were injured and thousands more are missing, the Venezuelan government said.
The tragedy has shaken gambling businesses.
The organizers of the first Gaming Expo to be held in Venezuela, which has a hidden gaming market that is little known outside the country, have postponed the event until next year.
In a statement from its founder and CEO Stephen A. Crystal, SCCG Management called on the industry to support rescue efforts by donating to international organizations already on the ground providing emergency assistance.
Safety and Recovery
“Following the devastating earthquakes, families are grieving, communities are working to rebuild, and thousands of people face an uncertain future. Right now, the safety and recovery of the Venezuelan people must be the priority,” Crystal said.
“With this in mind, we have decided to postpone the Venezuela Gaming Expo until early 2027.
“Our commitment to Venezuela, to our partners, and to the future of this event remains as strong as ever, and we look forward to meeting again when the time is right,” he added.
His notice includes a list of organizations such as the Red Cross, UNICEF, GlobalGiving, Direct Relief, the International Rescue Committee (IRC), International Medical Corps and the United Nations Humanitarian Fund for Venezuela.
Political Instability
Venezuela Gaming Expo, originally scheduled to take place from August 12-14, this year in Caracas, will be the first international conference on gambling in a country whose gaming market is relatively unknown internationally.
The event plans to bring together the three regulatory bodies that grant licenses, the country’s leading operators, banking and payment partners, and international companies over three-days.
For more than a decade, Venezuela has been invisible to the international gaming industry.
Sanctions, political instability, and one of the deepest economic collapses in modern history rendered a market of nearly 29 million people virtually inaccessible.
Other gambling industry businesses that are present in Venezuela have responded to the devastation by supporting emergency relief efforts.
Hard Rock International, for example, said it is providing financial support and distributing meals to communities affected by the earthquakes.
The company’s charitable organization, the Hard Rock Heals Foundation, along with Hard Rock Bet, is contributing US$60,000 (£44,913) to support approximately 15,000 meals through World Central Kitchen, which provides food assistance during natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies.
Emergency Meals
And in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas, Hard Rock Cafe employees are preparing and serving around 1,000 meals daily for families, residents, and emergency workers.
“In moments of crisis, our responsibility is to move quickly and compassionately to help people in need,” Jeff Hook, Chief Operating Officer for Hard Rock International and Hard Rock Heals Foundation Board member, told iGamingFuture.
“Through the Hard Rock Heals Foundation, Hard Rock Bet, World Central Kitchen and our dedicated team at Hard Rock Cafe Caracas, we are helping deliver nourishment, comfort and care to families facing an incredibly difficult recovery.”
To support Venezuela earthquake relief, please visit https://donate.wck.org/campaign/816248/donate
