The Dominican Republic is seeking to approve a bill to regulate gambling that would create a national registry for people who voluntarily choose to stop betting.
Deputy Rogelio Alfonso Genao, who chairs the Chamber of Deputies committee, said the proposal would introduce, for the first time in Dominican law, specific mechanisms for the prevention and treatment of gambling addiction.
According to him, the new restrictions are meant "to protect the players." He added that the measure updates a regulatory framework dating to 1964 that does not adequately address the growth of online betting.
The Chamber of Deputies approved the bill, but it lapsed when the legislative session ended and must now be reconsidered by Congress.
Under Article 38, the self-exclusion registry would be run by the General Directorate of Gambling. Registration would be free, available in person or online, and would last a minimum of six months. During that period, operators would have to check the registry before granting access, opening accounts or paying winnings, and would be banned from advertising, promotions or bonuses to registered users.
Advertising, tickets, counters and websites linked to gambling would have to carry a warning that gambling can cause addiction and affect health, along with a helpline number.
In addition, 10% of funds collected from fines would go toward prevention and treatment programs coordinated with the Ministry of Public Health.
The bill also tightens oversight of online betting. It would require platforms to verify users' identity and age through Central Electoral Board records before accepting deposits or bets, and to offer deposit, loss and time limits.
The General Directorate of Gambling could work with telecommunications regulator Indotel to block unlicensed domains and apps, and a 10% monthly tax would apply to online gambling.
Sanctions include license cancellation for violations of responsible gambling rules, and fines of 200 to 400 minimum public-sector wages plus a provisional closure of three to six months for operators that fail to connect to the regulator's monitoring system. Developing unauthorized gambling apps could carry a prison sentence of two to five years.
Operators would also be prohibited from granting loans or credit to players to continue gambling
