Director of the National Lottery sets position on the regulation of the gaming sector

Santo Domingo, RD. – The director of the National Lottery issued a statement in which he explains his position regarding the process of regularization of betting shops in the country, promoted by the government of President Luis Abinader. In the document, the official highlighted that the process is backed by an Advisory Council made up of highly prestigious figures, including representatives of the Church, former comptrollers, and professionals from various areas, who decided to collaborate at a key moment for the country’s institutional framework. The director explained that the initiative seeks to resume and strengthen the regularization process initiated in 2022, which allowed the identification of more than 90 thousand lottery outlets, both legal and illegal. However, he acknowledged that this process was affected by administrative delays after the information was delivered to the competent authorities. Likewise, it was pointed out that for years the sector has faced structural distortions, derived from changes in the legal and administrative framework. He recalled that, after the enactment of Law 139-11, the General Directorate of Internal Taxes assumed the collection of taxes, while the Ministry of Finance maintains the issuance of licenses, inspection and fiscalization.

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The statement also addresses irregularities that occurred during the period when the opening of new banks was prohibited, when permits were granted under other denominations, which contributed to the disorganized growth of the sector. In that sense, the official emphasized the need to correct failures in the application of current regulations, ensure that operators comply with their tax obligations, and avoid practices that delay the regularization process. Finally, he reiterated his willingness to collaborate with the guidelines established by the Government and the Monitoring Council, while emphasizing the importance of implementing efficient measures to transparentize and definitively regulate the gambling sector in the Dominican Republic.