Paraguay’s Senate approves gambling reform bill
The Senate of Paraguay has approved, with modifications, the initiative introduced by President Santiago Peña aimed at reforming Paraguay’s gambling law. The proposal has been returned to the House of Representatives for further consideration.
Senator Javier Zacarías Irún, president of the Constitutional Affairs Committee, explained that the goal of this project is to strengthen the National Commission of Games of Chance (Conajzar), improving its regulatory capacity and facilitating increased revenue collection.
One of the central points of the proposal is the integration of Conajzar into the National Directorate of Tax Revenues (DNIT).
“This measure aims to provide the commission with a solid executive arm, enhancing its ability to enforce its resolutions and taking on a more active role in the collection and oversight of gambling at the national level,” the senator said.
Additionally, the initiative intends to eliminate existing monopolies, fostering greater competition and diversity of providers at the national, departmental, and municipal levels. The Constitutional Affairs Committee introduced modifications to align with the Executive Branch’s objectives, particularly regarding concessions for the exploitation of the lottery and sports betting, thereby allowing more bidders to participate in currently monopolized sectors, as outlined by Zacarías Irún.
In November the Chamber of Deputies approved the bill, with partial endorsement, that modifies the legal framework for gambling. This legislation aims to expand the online sports betting industry by allowing more companies to enter the market. The initiative was submitted to Congress by President Santiago Peña.
The proposal aims to optimize revenue collection and strengthen Conajzar by providing it with greater supervisory capabilities. The document presented to Congress highlights the need to modernize the existing legal framework. It suggests that the changes will enable Conajzar to integrate its operations with the Directorate of National Tax Revenues (DNIT), equipping it with a more efficient mechanism for enforcing resolutions and facilitating oversight of the industry.
