Paraguay is planning new gambling sector ruling with establishment of an independent regulator.
On October 12, Governement submitted bill to Congress. It would replace the National Gambling Commission (Conajzar) with a new body, the National Directorate of Gambling (Dinajzar). Dinajzar will have its own legal status and independent finances. The bill is currently under review by several Senate committees, which held a joint meeting on 26 October to discuss the proposed changes.
Javier Balbuena, a lawyer and former head of Conajzar, identified two main areas of disagreement: extending licence terms from five to up to 10 years, and determining how gambling revenues should be distributed between regional and municipal governments.
He said:
Previously we´ve had partial proposals and temporary solutions. Now Congress is aiming for a complete structural overhaul.
Paraguay strengthens enforcement against illegal gambling
The reforms were enacted after the responsibility for overseeing Conajzar was taken away from the Ministry of Economy and Finance less than two years ago. Balbuena pointed out that this process had “debilitated administrative processes” and had not improved enforcement or licensing processes.
According to the suggested framework of actions, the Dinajzar could instruct telecommunications and financial companies to block illegal online gambling websites, apps, and payment processors. Luis Pettengill, the senator, pointed out that the regulatory authority has limited resources and that Conajzar currently employs no more than twelve people working in various parts of the country.
Pettengill said:
We have a major lack of control over gambling involving minors in cities throughout the country..
New licensing opportunities for operators
Newer bill could bring additional licensing opportunities for online casino, bingo and sportsbook operators in Paraguay.
Balbuena said:
The final number of licences will no longer depend on legal monopolies or provisional schemes, but rather on the technical, financial and platform approval conditions established by Dinajzar.
Local media reports suggest the bill envisages 26 online gambling licences, with existing provisional authorisations expiring by January 2028.
Proposed fees include a minimum monthly payment of PYG 12 million (€1,843) and 7% of GGR. Balbuena said the final tax framework remains unconfirmed. Gambling winnings of PYG 500,000 (approximately €77) or more currently face an 8% withholding tax. The proposed legislation would introduce deposit limits, monitoring of potentially harmful gambling behaviour and a centralised self-exclusion register.
