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Read Full BioThe Paraguay gambling regulator has held talks with mayors and gaming companies after the country introduced a new betting framework.
Per an official Asunción government release, the National Gaming Commission (CONAJZAR) met with 19 mayors from the capital and the surrounding Central District.
CONAJZAR chiefs stated that the parties discussed a new law, adopted early last month, which will enable private operators to enter the Paraguayan gambling market, replacing the previous tender-based system.
The regulator states that the new rules will promote transparency and enable police to crack down on youth gambling and illegal betting.
Paraguay: New Gambling Rules Come Into Force
National and municipal authorities were also in attendance, as well as private sector groups. All agreed on the urgency of combating illegal gambling and a growing youth betting epidemic.
The parties agreed to draft a common roadmap that will help wipe out illegal betting in Paraguay.
The Mayor of Asunción, Óscar Rodríguez, emphasized that the capital is committed to combating the scourge of illegal slot machines.
Rodríguez explained that some 2,400 machines operate in Asunción. However, officials believe that 10% of slots operate illegally.
Many of these machines have been installed in areas popular among teenagers, Rodríguez explained.
Youth Gambling Crackdown
The mayor’s office is working with the Municipal Police on efforts to seize and destroy these machines. Many illegal slot machines are believed to be operated by organized criminal networks.
CONAJZAR President Carlos Liceras called youth betting a “serious problem that impacts upon the mental health of minors.”
Liceras explained that the law and associated decrees grant the regulator new powers. CONAJZAR can now seize slot machines and other illegal gambling paraphernalia. The CONAJZAR chief said: “We must redouble our efforts because the health of our children is at stake.”
Regulated companies’ chiefs believe the new law is a turning point for the sector. Paraguay’s gambling laws were last amended in 1999.
Unfair Competition
Lorena Rojas, President of the Association of Gambling Operators, said legal gaming companies consider illegal online and real-world gambling to be “unfair competition.”
She called on the firms to work closely with municipal authorities to ensure local compliance with the new rules.
The association’s lobbying efforts last year appear to have been a key factor in persuading the government to adopt the law.
Elsewhere in Latin America, Argentinian prosecution officials continue to crack down on influencers they suspect of promoting illegal gambling platforms on their social media pages.
Last month, prosecutors ordered the social media star Cinthia Fernández to attend a special hearing. She is accused of promoting unlicensed casino sites on her Instagram page.
