That 5.5% tax on conversion of chips back to cash sure doesn't excite me. But I love Panama City in general. So, if it could also become a fun gambling destination...

I've spent a fair amount of time in Latin America and, surprisingly, always resisted the temptation to set foot in a casino. (I did visit Monterrico, the horse racing track in Lima, which was a fun cultural immersion experience though not particularly profitable!)

If Panamanian casinos offered horse racing betting in their sportsbooks, that would be a huge plus for me.

From the non-FT research I've done, Panamanian casino live poker rooms make extensive use of shills. Shills who are actually horrible players and make for beatable, super soft games. Though some have reported said shills and the casinos who employ them strongly discourage calling it a night and leaving the table when you're up. Some of the reports I've read make poker in PTY sound like the wild wild west.