Bookies in Exile

To a small group of men, Americans mostly, Costa Rica
is alluring, enchanting and brimming with possibilities for adventure.
The
men are
bookmakers taking bets and dispensing winnings over the Internet, and
Costa Rica has exactly what they need — a government that welcomes new
investment in almost whatever form it takes, a well-developed business
environment that makes it possible get phone lines hooked up and computer
equipment serviced and a sizable English-speaking population capable
of manning the phones and helping customers place their bets. Legal prostitution,
as well as a plethora of strip clubs, seedy casinos and bars festooned
with Budweiser signs, round out the atmosphere.

from
The New York Times