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Original article: Querella pide investigar eventuales delitos ambientales y corrupción en proyecto del nuevo Casino de Talca

Casino de Talca S.A. has filed a lawsuit with the local Guarantee Court, requesting an investigation into the decision-making process that allowed the advancement of the new casino project, from its exclusion from the Environmental Impact Assessment System (SEIA) to the acquisition of its construction and operation permits.

This new legal challenge against the ongoing construction of the casino, located near the Cajón del Río Claro Urban Wetland and Estero Piduco, stems from allegations that could indicate «environmental crimes, falsehoods, and public and private corruption,» according to Casino de Talca S.A.

The lawsuit aims to investigate the actions of «individuals, companies, and public officials who were involved at various stages of the project.»

The legal argument goes beyond merely a potential environmental violation, asserting that there was a series of actions that allowed the project to bypass mandatory entry into the SEIA, secure its building permit, and subsequently obtain the operational permit for the new casino.

These accusations reflect the claims of the complainants and must be investigated by the Public Ministry. To date, these allegations do not constitute legally substantiated crimes.

Significantly, one critical piece of evidence focuses on the depth of the excavations. During the environmental processing, it was reported that excavation depths would be approximately between 1.4 and 1.6 meters. However, on November 18, 2025, a notary certified that the excavation reached around 3 meters, aimed at installing a potable water tank.

Additionally, the Superintendency of the Environment later recognized buried works with maximum depths of 3.1 meters.

«This is relevant, as the DGA had warned that the groundwater was only 1.3 meters deep,» the complainants assert, raising a fundamental question: «Is the project that was eventually constructed the same as the one considered when it was determined that it did not need to enter the SEIA?»

The complaint also relies on a study from the University of Talca, highlighting the flood risk of the area and the potential impacts of the works on the wetland.

Furthermore, it questions why the SMA acknowledged excavations of up to 3.1 meters but did not comprehensively assess their impact on the aquifer and ecosystem.

Municipal Permit Under Scrutiny

The action also presents a second avenue of concern. It argues that the building permit considered an occupancy load of 4,490 people, while the complainant estimates the actual occupancy could range between 8,900 and 11,205 people when including outdoor areas outlined in the project.

These areas include an urban park, sports center, playground, amphitheater, and parking lots. The document questions the actions of the Municipal Works Directorate of Talca and calls for an investigation into the decisions made by the SEA, the SMA, and the Superintendency of Gaming Casinos.

«Casino de Talca S.A. requests that specialized units of the PDI in environmental crimes and anticorruption intervene, as well as take statements from various involved parties, including the Superintendent of Gaming Casinos,» the lawsuit specifies, proposing hypotheses of potential environmental crimes and false statements, as well as possible bribery and influence peddling, among other offenses that may arise during the investigation.

However, the most impactful request directly concerns the continuity of the project: the company asks for a precautionary assessment of the suspension of the operational permit for the new casino, the building permit, administrative actions by the SEA and the SMA, and the works carried out by Sociedad de Ríos Claros.

This lawsuit brings the conflict into the criminal realm: the justice system will need to investigate whether the discrepancies between what was reported and what was constructed were merely irregularities or part of possible crimes that allowed the new casino to advance.

We will continue to provide updates.

La entrada Casino Project in Talca Under Scrutiny for Alleged Environmental Crimes and Corruption se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.