Dominican Republic proposes 10-year gambling license moratorium

gambling regulation lottery licenses gaming law Dominican Republic legislative reform

The Dominican Republic is considering a major legislative overhaul to regulate its rapidly expanding gambling and lottery sector. A bill approved by the Chamber of Deputies proposes a ten-year moratorium on issuing new licenses for gambling establishments, with the exception of casinos located in hotels and tourist areas. This measure aims to allow the state to prioritize the registration, validation, and fiscal oversight of the existing market, which includes tens of thousands of lottery and sports betting outlets.

Under the proposed law, current operators who successfully undergo the regularization process could become the sole authorized participants in the market for a decade. The initiative also includes provisions for tax debt discounts for operators who register by December 2025. To strengthen oversight, the bill contemplates the creation of the General Directorate of Gambling (DGJA) to supervise both physical and digital betting platforms.

Legislators, including Deputy Rogelio Genao Lanza, emphasize that the reform is necessary to address the challenges of a sector that has outpaced institutional capacity for supervision. The law also seeks to enforce distance requirements between gambling sites and sensitive locations such as schools, universities, and hospitals to mitigate social and economic impacts on vulnerable populations.

Entities

Chamber of Deputies · Cámara de Diputados · Dirección General de Juegos de Azar · Dominican Republic · General Directorate of Gambling · Ministerio de Hacienda y Economía · Ministry of Finance and Economy · República Dominicana · Rogelio Genao Lanza

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 2 SOURCES] There are more than 71,000 registered lottery and sports betting outlets in the country. despiertaelsur.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The project proposes the creation of the General Directorate of Gambling (DGJA) to oversee the sector. dominicanaaldia.com
[● 2 SOURCES] The bill allows for special tax debt discounts for operators who register by December 2025. despiertaelsur.com
[● 3 SOURCES] Casinos located in hotels and tourist areas are exempt from the ten-year moratorium. despiertaelsur.com · montecristinoticias.com
[● 3 SOURCES] The bill prohibits the issuance of new gambling licenses for ten years. despiertaelsur.com · montecristinoticias.com
[● 4 SOURCES] The Chamber of Deputies approved a gambling bill. despiertaelsur.com · dominicanaaldia.com · montecristinoticias.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The bill includes restrictions on gambling establishments near schools, universities, and churches. dominicanaaldia.com
[● 2 SOURCES] There are more than 71,000 registered lottery and sports betting shops in the country. despiertaelsur.com
[● 2 SOURCES] The bill allows for tax debt discounts for operators who regularize by December 2025. despiertaelsur.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] The legislation proposes creating the General Directorate of Gambling (DGJA). dominicanaaldia.com
[● 3 SOURCES] The bill proposes a 10-year moratorium on new gambling licenses. despiertaelsur.com · montecristinoticias.com
[● 3 SOURCES] Casinos in hotels and tourist areas are exempt from the moratorium. despiertaelsur.com · montecristinoticias.com