The Dominican Republic’s Congress is considering a major overhaul of the country’s gambling laws. The proposed legislation would introduce a 10-year freeze on new gambling licenses, increase penalties for illegal operators and create a new regulatory authority to oversee the sector.
The only exception would apply to casinos that are part of new hotel developments.
The legislation would establish the General Directorate of Gambling (DGJA), an autonomous body responsible for regulating, supervising and sanctioning gambling activities across the sector.
The bill also strengthens penalties for illegal gambling operations. Those operating illegal gambling could face prison sentences of one to two years, while more serious offences, such as using front companies or concealing significant profits, could result in sentences of up to 10 years.
For the online gambling sector, the legislation introduces a 10% tax on gross sales and gives authorities the power to block domains and IP addresses of unauthorised operators. It would also create a Single Registry System to centralise betting information and strengthen anti-money laundering measures.
The reforms would introduce new location requirements for gambling venues, with betting establishments required to maintain a minimum distance of 500 metres from schools, hospitals and churches. Lottery outlets would face a 200-metre distance requirement.
The bill would also require slot machines to return at least 85% of the amount wagered to players.
The initiative was approved by the Chamber of Deputies but was sent back for further review in the Senate before receiving final approval.
The Dominican Republic introduced higher gambling taxes from 1 July as part of a wider fiscal reform package
