In Argentina, eight operators have so far reportedly paid a $500,000 fee in order to take part in the tendering process for the right to operate slots at some of the seven state-owned casinos located in the nation’s largest and most populous province, Buenos Aires.

According to a Wednesday report from G3Newswire citing an earlier story from the South American country’s La Nacion newspaper, current licensees Enjoy SA, Codere and Boldt SA are among those taking part in the latest tender alongside local firms Victoria Casino and Bingo Pilar SA.

G3Newswire reported that the ongoing tender process, which is to moreover involve firms headquartered in neighboring Brazil and Paraguay, will see the slot licenses connected to the seven Buenos Aires casinos split into three tranches with each containing at least one large venue. The first group is to purportedly involve the state’s giant Trilenium Casino in the northern town of Tigre alongside the smaller Hotel Del Bosque Pinamar while a second cluster will contain the Casino Monte Hermoso and the larger Central Casino in the coastal resort of Mar Del Plata.

The report from G3Newswire explained that the third and final tranche due to be auctioned off will encompass the slot operation inside Mar Del Plata’s Hermitage Hotel alongside those for the nearby Casino Miramar and Casino Tandil.

The winning trio of bidders, which is to be announced in June, will reportedly be given 20-year licenses to operate slots in their selected provincial venues alongside the option to take advantage of a single one-year extension provision. In exchange, the firms must agree to hand over 45% of their local net revenues although they will not be required to pay for security and maintenance services or staff uniforms and salaries.

G3Newswire reported that the process to determine who will operate the state’s estate of 3,860 slots was launched in late-January while triumphant bidders are moreover set to be permitted to expand their venues once they have improved existing infrastructure networks and facilities.