$2.235 billion on gambling in 9 months

PANAMA’S love affair with gambling continues to expand with $475.5 spent on lottery tickets between January and September of this year, an increase of 2.4% over the same period in 2014.( Illegal lotteries and extra payments extorted by lottery sellers are not included).

But slot machines were the big winner  lifting $1.595 billion from the pockets of casino goers.

The spending on gambling and the buying of lottery tickets  in the  9 month period was  $2.235 billion, according to a report released by the country’s Comptroller.

Other wagers apart from lottery were $1.8 billion, 3.1 percent more than in 2014.

Within these were bets at racetracks ($35 million), bingo ($2.7 million), table games ($211.5 million), slot machines ($1.595 billion) and sports betting ($25.5 million).