New gambling rules will open up market says head of Paraguayan Association of gambling operators
Lorena Rojas, president of the Paraguayan Association of Gaming Operators (Apoja), provided insights into the new gambling law designed to address illegal gambling and enhance tax revenue. In an interview with La Nación, she noted that this regulation will create new opportunities and marks an important step toward the development of the entertainment industry in Paraguay. The updates aim to align with industry trends while promoting transparency and state oversight.
“Today, the DNIT will provide 300 officials for inspections. In terms of physical operations, this should put an end to slot machines on sidewalks and in stores,” she explained.
Another key aspect is the elimination of the monopoly on gambling operations, including the lottery and sports betting. Rojas explained that while previously only one company could manage these activities, the updated legislation allows up to three companies to secure concessions for each category.
She also noted that all current contracts will now have a term of three years. The law requires a public tender for operational rights at the end of the three-year period, a shift from the previous practice of awarding rights through direct resolutions.
“Paraguay is the only country in the region that does not have online identification,” she stated.
“Currently, none of the games have the ‘.py’ or a ‘.com’, or a ‘.dec’. Therefore, you have a lot of scams, and many children playing illegal games,” she said.
Through this legislation, the aim is to resolve this issue, as licenses will also be granted through public tender. This will allow users to recognize when a platform is legal.
“In Argentina, for example, legal games have the domain ‘.bet.ar’, such as ‘betwarrior.bet.ar’. This guarantees that the player is identified, that minors cannot participate, and that prizes are paid out,” she affirmed. In Paraguay, work is currently being done to implement a similar system.
Rojas emphasized that there is significant economic activity in the sector. “The associated technology is already starting to be exported. Just imagine with the Bioceanic Corridor, who wouldn’t want to come and set up manufacturing here? The entertainment sector is an industry worldwide . . .imagine Paraguay as a triangulation point for Mercosur to be able to take products out and send them anywhere in the world with a Bioceanic Corridor like this,” she said.
The Bioceanic Corridor has been in the pipeline for a decade and is considered one of the most important infrastructure projects in Latin America, extending 2,400 kilometres. The route connects the ports of southern Brazil with those of northern Chile, crossing Mato Grosso do Sul, the Paraguayan Chaco and the northern provinces of Salta and Jujuy in Argentina, according to its designers. It is expected to reduce transport between the Mediterranean regions of Brazil and Paraguay and Asia-Pacific countries such as China, South Korea and Japan by up to 10 days.
In May Paraguay issued the decree that outlines the regulations for its new gambling law. This comes after President Santiago Peña enacted Law 7483, which revises the legal framework for gambling operations in January. A major shift will see Conajzar transition to the National Directorate of Tax Revenues (DNIT), granting the agency enhanced oversight powers to tackle irregularities in the gambling sector and address illegal gambling activities.
Another key feature of the decree is the establishment of the General Directorate of Gambling, which will serve as a technical body tasked with implementing and enforcing policies, regulations, and controls for the operation of regulated gambling activities. The General Directorate of Gambling will coordinate technical and informational assistance to Conajzar with the DNIT departments responsible for fiscal intelligence and tax control processes.
