Paraguay Senate prepares to consider bill creating DINAJZAR

Paraguay's Senate is expected to consider an executive bill this week that would create the Dirección Nacional de Juegos de Azar (DINAJZAR), according to the preliminary agenda circulated by the chamber. The proposal, submitted by the executive branch through the Ministry of Economy and Finance, would replace the Comisión Nacional de Juegos de Azar (CONAJZAR) with an autonomous body and set a new regulatory framework for land-based and online gambling. It remains in legislative process and has not been approved.

The file entered the Senate on 12 October and was referred to committee on 14 October. The 72-article text would also take over regulatory competences currently linked to the Dirección Nacional de Ingresos Tributarios (DNIT), and would widen the authorisation, inspection and sanctioning tools available to the regulator. Its scope covers land-based and digital modalities, including sports betting, casinos and the quiniela, and it includes measures against the illegal exploitation of gambling and for player protection.

The bill proposes changes to the concession regime for activities of national scope, among them land-based casinos, the quiniela, sports betting, lotteries, horse racing, online casino and online bingo. It provides for up to three concessions for the quiniela and three for sports betting, with certain activities awarded through public tenders. DINAJZAR would be able to inspect establishments and digital platforms, request documentation and impose fines, closures, suspensions and cancellation of authorisations, and the text includes measures to act against platforms operating without the corresponding permits.

On player protection, the proposal sets provisions on identity verification, access restrictions for minors, self-exclusion and advertising, and it establishes obligations related to the prevention of money laundering. DINAJZAR would receive 5% of revenue from games of national scope, casinos and racecourses to fund its functions. Under the transition regime in the text, existing concessions and authorisations would remain valid until their respective expiry dates.

The preliminary agenda was reported for the Senate, and the Mesa Directiva is to define the legislative agenda before the ordinary session. The source gives no statement from the executive branch, CONAJZAR or any operator, and no appeal or further procedural step beyond the committee stage.