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Paraguay – Paraguay to launch tender for new casinos this year

By - 29 June 2015

The National Gaming Commission of Paraguay (CONAJZAR) has announced plans to discuss the bidding process for casinos in three departments in Paraguay beginning with the Central Department.

According to CONAJZAR President Javier Balbuena the tender process could begin in the second half of July and be awarded in early September this year.

Mr. Balbuena said that the successful applicant will be required to invest in hotel infrastructure and that the board will impose a minimum amount when it comes to the investment. He also said that the applicant may choose the city where they wish to operate including capital of the Central department: Areguá. The Central department is the most populated and the smallest of the 17 departments of Paraguay.

While a number of further specifications will be published before the tender process is launched, the exact details of the process will not be announced until the Commission adopts further regulations governing the process. Once these are agreed upon, the process will begin with licences then being awarded for casinos in the department of Alto Parana and Amambay as well. A sport betting tender will also then be launched with the licence possibly being granted before the end of the year.
The gaming board will also implement the online monitoring of gaming machines. Earlier this year The Paraguayan Gaming Commission (CONAJZAR) announced plans to implement the online regulation of casinos and the commission is carrying out preliminary studies into the issue.

Land-based casinos have been permitted in Paraguay since 1997. Although casinos have been permitted now for almost fifteen years the casino industry remains underdeveloped with little foreign investment in the industry and illegal gaming has remained rampant. However, Paraguay could prove to be a future bright spot for operators as the government seeks to further regulate the industry.

However, the licensing process has been fraught with difficulties in the past with three tender processes being abandoned. In 2009 and again in 2010 and 2011 CONAJZAR was forced to halt the bidding process over accusations of irregularities and other issues mostly revolving around the fact that bidders were not meeting the minimum requirements set out to by the Gaming Control Board.

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