Paraguay Senate studies bill to create an autonomous gambling regulator

Paraguay's Senate has begun examining a bill that would create the Dirección Nacional de Juegos de Azar and establish a legal regime for gambling, replacing the current Comisión Nacional de Juegos de Azar (Conajzar) with a regulator that has institutional autonomy. The bill was sent by the executive branch on 12 October. The Senate's Legislation, Codification, Justice and Labour Commission met several advisory commissions, Conajzar, the Paraguayan tax agency, the Ministry of Economy and Finance and private operators on Monday 26 October. Senate committees aim to have a consensus text within 15 days.

Senator Líder Amarilla said at the meeting that Conajzar previously did not depend on the Dirección Nacional de Ingresos Tributarios (DNIT), the country's tax agency, and was integrated into it about a year ago. The new proposal, he said, again raises the possibility of granting it institutional autonomy. Senator Luis Pettengill, who chaired the meeting as vice-president of the commission, said Conajzar has 12 staff to oversee the sector nationwide, and that administrative and budget limits prevent it from expanding supervision. He said there is a lack of control over gambling by minors in cities across the country, and that current rules date from 1997, since when technology has changed gambling substantially, particularly through the internet.

Conajzar president Carlos Liseras said monthly sector revenue has risen from about PYG12bn (about €1.86m) to PYG21bn (about €3.26m). The revenue helps finance the Dirección de Beneficencia y Ayuda Social. Liseras said clandestine operations and illegal betting reduce state revenue by evading payment of fees. Juan Sosa, speaking for the operators, attributed growth in illegal gambling to the current model, saying the DNIT does not have time to attend to the sector and that illegal gambling grew as a result. Representatives of the Ministry of Economy and Finance called for caution, arguing that the analysis should consider not only revenue capacity but also an efficient institutional model that avoids disproportionate growth of the institution. Senator Ignacio Iramain called for the law to address problem gambling as a public health issue.

In public remarks reported by the Paraguayan press, Liseras set out elements of the text. The bill would replace temporary online gambling permits, valid until January 2028, with 26 licences awarded by tender. It would set a minimum fee of PYG12m (about €1,860) plus 7% of net win, a figure Liseras said could still be revised. It would also classify clandestine gambling as a crime carrying prison terms of up to five years, and create a mandatory register for those who promote gambling, including influencers. Pettengill described the meeting as the start of a working group and set the goal of a more defined text within 15 days.