Paraguay is moving forward with a new bill aimed at reforming its gambling laws, specifically Law No 1,016/1997, which currently mandates that the "exploitation of national games of chance will be carried out exclusively by public tender." This law established the National Commission of Gambling (Conajzar), providing it the authority to oversee all gambling activities in the country.
One of the significant goals of the proposed legislation is to place Conajzar under the National Tax Revenue Directorate (DNIT). By doing so, the intent is to enable Conajzar to increase its revenue capabilities while becoming more efficient in its regulatory duties.
The new initiative seeks not only to enhance Conajzar’s regulatory role but also to promote “institutional optimisation” through a reformed legal framework. Central to this framework is the position of Conajzar's general director, who will oversee the coordination, development, control, and supervision of gambling throughout Paraguay.
"Through the modification of the current regulations, the powers of Conajzar will be strengthened, allowing it to be a true professional, stable and solvent regulatory body," the proposal states. It also aims to address social and economic changes by dismantling established legal monopolies on gambling.
Significant advancements have taken place in Paraguay since the introduction of Law No 1,016/1997, which provided a system for national franchises for sports betting and quinela. The draft proposal, backed by Finance Minister Carlos Fernandez Valdovinos and President Santiago Peña, is intended to modernise Conajzar and adapt Paraguay's gambling landscape to 21st-century standards.
Key aspects of the proposal include the liberalisation of the gambling market, which would allow private operators to enter the market without the need for securing access through tender processes. Currently, Law No 1,016/1997 permits exclusive exploitation of various games of chance, including lotteries, telebingo, and sports betting. While bingo halls and racetracks can operate at the departmental level, municipal betting types like horseracing and electronic gambling venues are also authorized.
The draft expresses that legal monopolies "must be removed" in light of the ongoing social and economic transformations in Paraguay since the new government took office in August 2023. "Our country has witnessed marked economic and social changes, which has led to an exponential development of its markets and gambling has not been left behind by such dynamism," it reads. The document acknowledges that technological and economic shifts have created new gambling types and increased the number of providers and users.
