Paraguay passes law to restructure national gaming regulator
CONAJZAR will function as a decentralised body under the National Directorate of Tax Revenue (DNIT).
Paraguay.- The government of Paraguay has published the decree that will introduce its latest reforms for the gambling sector. As reported by Focus Gaming News Latin America, Decree 3846/2025 regulates Law 7438/2025 and expands and revises the provisions of Law 1016/1997 with the aim of modernising and enhancing oversight in the sector.
The national gambling regulator CONAJZAR will function as a decentralised body under the National Directorate of Tax Revenue (DNIT), with a DNIT representative as its chairman and representation from municipal and provincial authorities as well as the Ministry of the Interior.
This change gives more authority to the DNIT, which will now draft regulations rather than merely review and approve them. Meanwhile, the government said the aim of the broader representation is to add more diversified input on regulatory governance.
CONAJZAR will also have new duties, including the oversight of gambling venues, approval of new venues and licences and the drafting and approving of tender conditions. It will input on regulation at different government levels and will create its own internal operational guidelines.
The regulator will work with the DNIT on compliance matters and will have the authority to impose fines and revoke concessions. The latest changes follow a move last year to end the monopoly on gambling in Paraguay. In January, president Santiago Peña approved a bill to establish a new legal framework and open competition in the lottery and sports betting segments by increasing the number of operators from one to three.
