The fiscal package is expected to raise RD$40 billion to RD$50 billion while helping the government preserve public spending for investment and social protection. Minister of Finance and Economy Magín Díaz has presented the strategy as one that responds to an unfavorable external environment. It incorporates growth-oriented actions, tax reform, anti-evasion activities, and fiscal consolidation.
Tax Package Reaches the Gaming Sector
The package puts gambling alongside several other revenue measures. Large companies would face a temporary three-percentage-point surcharge on corporate income tax until the end of 2028. It would affect companies with annual revenue above RD$1 billion, around 0.8% of domestic firms.
The proposed package also includes an increased fee for checks and transfer payments up from 0.15% to 0.2%, a selective tax on electronic cigarettes, and an additional charge of US$10 per air ticket.
For gambling operations, the government has signaled higher taxation, although the exact mechanism has not yet been detailed. Businesses know what is expected from them, yet lack detailed information to develop an estimate.
Lottery Reform Adds a Second Track
Senator Pedro Tineo has a separate bill proposing the establishment of the National Lottery as an autonomous state body. If passed, the legislation would make the Lottery the primary overseer of lotteries, sports wagering, casinos, and any other gaming-related operations. This would change the current structure, where the Lottery operates under the Ministry of Finance and Economy, and most functions fall within the jurisdiction of the Directorate of Casinos and Games of Chance.
The bill follows Decree 197-26, which reactivated the National Regularization Plan for lottery outlets, points of sale, betting agencies, and other gambling operators.
DGII Gets Compliance Work
The tax authority, DGII, has a central role in that regularization process. Its work includes checking operators’ tax compliance and provisionally incorporating establishments into the tax system.
The advisory body includes public agencies, the National Lottery, and industry representatives from the lottery, betting, horse racing, and casino sectors. National Lottery Administrator Teófilo Tabar has been appointed temporary coordinator of the process.
Operators Wait for the Final Tax Model
The direction is clear, even if the details are not. The Dominican Republic wants gambling businesses to sit inside a more formal tax and control system. For operators, that likely means more paperwork, more checks, and a closer link between licensing and tax compliance. The missing piece is the final tax model for casinos and gambling activity, which will decide how heavy the reform becomes in practice.
