Paraguay Bill Keeps 3 Sports Betting Concessions, Links Casino Licences
The proposal reached the Senate on October 12 and was referred to committee two days later. It would replace CONAJZAR with a new National Directorate of Gambling (DINAJZAR).
Three Betting Slots, but No New Tender
Sports betting and quiniela, Paraguay’s numbers lottery, would each be limited to three concession holders. The ceiling was already introduced under Law 7438/2025, enacted in January 2025.
There is still only one authorised sportsbook concessionaire. In a July 2026 notice, CONAJZAR confirmed that Daruma SAM, operating as Aposta.la, holds the country’s exclusive sports betting concession. The company secured the award through a 2022 tender, with government approval following in 2023.
That leaves two positions within the statutory limit without an awarded concession. The figure comes from comparing the existing law with the regulator’s notice.
No tender dates appear in the October draft. Daruma retains its existing contract, and the two other positions have not been allocated.
Casino Operators Could Add an Online Licence
A physical casino concession could provide a route into online gambling. Casino operators would still need separate authorisation and would have to pay the applicable fees.
Online casinos already appear as a separate gambling category in the 2025 law. The October draft addresses how a company holding a land-based concession could obtain permission to operate online.
The October 16 review by Focus Gaming News also identifies three conditions affecting casino concessions:
- 250,000 residents. Asunción and departments above this population threshold could have more than one physical casino;
- 20 years. This would be the maximum casino concession term, with no extensions;
- Multiple products. A tender could include several gambling activities in the same procedure.
The population threshold and 20-year maximum were already written into the 2025 law. The online licensing provision is a separate part of the proposed reform.
Tax Agency Reorganised Gambling Oversight Days Before Bill
Paraguay’s tax authority had already approved another organisational change before the new bill arrived in Congress. On October 6, the DNIT adopted a structure for its General Directorate of Gambling, with four departments covering inspections, technical rules, concessions and legal advice. The decision was announced on October 15, three days after the government submitted its proposal for DINAJZAR.
The bill would move gambling oversight to a separate public body. Existing concessions and authorisations would remain valid until their expiry dates, while pending cases would transfer to the new directorate.
On October 19, Senate committees requested opinions from the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the tax authority. The bill remained under committee review as of October 22.
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