Dominican Republic DGJA bans new gaming outlets and sets 30-day disclosure window

The Dominican Republic's Dirección General de Juegos de Azar (DGJA) began operations with two resolutions that restrict the opening of new gaming establishments and set a disclosure window for irregular outlets, according to the resolutions. Resolution 01-2026 bars the opening of new gaming establishments and the installation of lottery machines in places not permitted by law. Resolution 02-2026 gives operators a non-extendable 30-calendar-day period, counted from the resolution's issuance, to declare irregular establishments voluntarily by sworn statement.

Resolution 01-2026 also calls for the voluntary closure of businesses that breach the rules and warns that, once an infringement is confirmed, sanctions may extend to other establishments, linked businesses and lottery draws of the operator involved where legally applicable. It provides for a system to receive and handle complaints and claims, through which the DGJA may investigate unpaid prizes, fraudulent practices and unauthorised operations. Investigations may start on the regulator's own initiative or from documented complaints, without a prior on-site inspection. The resolution also creates an ad hoc technical and advisory support committee of up to seven officials to speed up the handling of pending files and requests.

On technology oversight, Resolution 01-2026 sets a 30-calendar-day period for consortia, concessionaires and operators to formally identify their programmers, developers and software providers so they can be brought into the public supervision scheme.

Under Resolution 02-2026, the sworn declaration may also cover situations in which a single premises runs different betting modalities requiring separate licences or permits. The information received will be assessed by a technical analysis and conciliation panel created to address conflicts affecting the industry's segments. Establishments that began operating after the legal deadlines without authorisation may be closed and receive administrative sanctions under current rules, without prejudice to possible criminal or tax action. The resolutions also provide for provisional, conditional referral to the Dirección General de Impuestos Internos (DGII) of information on operators in the regularisation and data-update process for tax purposes.

The DGJA was created under Law 86-26, promulgated the previous week, to begin a new regulatory and institutional stage for the gambling market. Teófilo «Quico» Tabar Manzur was appointed director general of the body. The law seeks to organise the sector, set clear rules for operators, protect users, especially minors, prevent fraud, money laundering and addictive behaviour, and ensure compliance with tax obligations.