Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader has launched a brand new invoice that proposes the creation of a centralized regulatory authority to supervise all types of playing and betting actions. This initiative goals to strengthen the nation’s playing framework by establishing the Common Directorate of Gaming (DGJA), which is able to fall beneath the Ministry of Finance. The invoice, lately submitted to the Nationwide Congress, is designed to manage every little thing from sports activities betting to casinos, on-line playing, raffles, and digital lotteries.
A Stronger Regulatory Physique and Complete Oversight
The creation of the DGJA is a direct response to the challenges within the Dominican playing sector, which has seen speedy progress, particularly in on-line platforms. The brand new authority will give attention to registration, oversight, management, and licensing of playing actions. This transfer comes after the nation’s 2024 decision, which set a extra structured regulatory system for on-line sports activities betting and casinos.
The DGJA could have the facility to implement trade compliance, challenge sanctions, and handle tax assortment extra successfully. As well as, the regulator can be accountable for cracking down on unlawful playing websites, implementing real-time betting techniques, and creating safeguards in opposition to cash laundering. The invoice additionally establishes rules for zoning, together with setting exclusion areas close to faculties, hospitals, and different delicate places.
New Taxes and Charges for Playing Operators
The invoice additionally brings important modifications to the tax construction for playing operators. Sports activities golf equipment can be required to pay a hefty charge of 794,000 Dominican pesos (round £9,915), together with an annual tax of 386,000 pesos (£4,820) in city areas, plus a further 1% tax on product sales. On-line playing platforms will face both a ten% tax on their earnings or a set month-to-month charge of 5 million pesos (£62,434), pending the event of a extra superior monitoring system.
Land-basedcasinos will even face new charges, with prices relying on the variety of gaming tables and slot machines. These charges will vary from 14,000 pesos (£175) to 85,000 pesos (£1,061) per gadget or desk. Licences issued beneath the brand new invoice can be legitimate for 5 years and non-transferable for the primary three years.
Provisions for Playing Zones and Exclusion Areas
One of the crucial notable components of the invoice is the introduction of geographic restrictions designed to restrict the social impression of playing. Lottery kiosks can be prohibited from working inside 200 meters of colleges, childcare facilities, hospitals, church buildings, and authorities establishments. Sports activities betting institutions could have even stricter restrictions, requiring them to take care of a minimal distance of 500 meters from these delicate places.
These measures replicate the federal government’s intent to stability the expansion of the playing trade with social accountability, lowering the danger of habit and making certain playing operations usually are not simply accessible to weak communities.
Playing Licences and Further Measures for Compliance
The brand new invoice outlines strict licensing procedures for casinos and playing operators. Solely accommodations rated 4 stars or increased can be eligible to function casinos, and the licences granted can be legitimate for 5 years. The invoice additionally establishes an in depth compliance framework for anti-money laundering, client safety, and the technical requirements for gaming techniques to make sure equity and safety.
The proposal additionally seeks to modernize the regulation of on-line playing, bringing all digital and land-based playing beneath unified oversight. A penalty of as much as 10 years in jail is recommended for many who violate the proposed playing legal guidelines.
Subsequent Steps for the Playing Reform Invoice
Because the invoice progresses by means of the legislative course of, it’s anticipated to bear a number of revisions earlier than being finalized. The federal government is eager on establishing a complete, honest, and clear playing atmosphere, aligning with worldwide requirements whereas making an allowance for the distinctive wants of the Dominican market.
Supply:
Dominican Republic Introduces New Playing Reform Invoice, sbcnews.co.uk, June 20, 2025.
