The head of the national regulator, Carlos Liseras, explained that despite operations to combat them, illegal machines proliferate in Paraguayan territory.
Paraguay.- The head of the National Gambling Commission (Conajzar), Carlos Liseras, stated that despite the multiple efforts made in the country to combat illegal gambling, operations to combat the installation of illegal slot machines end up being unsuccessful because these illegal elements proliferate rapidly in Paraguayan territory.
Moreover, as he highlighted, the growth of these irregular slot machines is such that they estimate it causes millionaire losses to the Paraguayan state. «The Prosecutor's Office estimates that G. 300,000m (USD 38m) are evaded in concept of canon by those who clandestinely exploit the slot machines», explained Liseras in statements to radio 1080 AM.
These machines, like a long list of gambling games, are subject to legal provisions for their operation. However, according to the official, it is observed daily that they operate anywhere and are open to all types of customers, including children and adolescents.
“The clandestine exploitation of games deprives resources from the Diben, municipalities, governorships, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Sports,” added Liseras.
He emphasized that, in the face of the resurgence of clandestine slot machine posts, Conajzar re-applies interventions and seizures of machines. “The operations we are conducting are because gambling is being exploited in secrecy,” he stated.
Finally, he referred to the fact that, not being controlled, these establishments offering illegal gambling are very risky for society since a part of their clientele ends up being young people and adolescents.
The Chamber of Deputies decided last week to postpone for 90 days the treatment of the project that modifies several articles of the law that establishes the legal regime for the exploitation of games of chance or gambling, in order to eliminate the current monopoly of the concessions of permits for that kind of activity, such as the lottery, sports betting, and others.
The leader of the Honor Colorado caucus, Rocío Abed, requested the postponement of the project for three months, which motivated the rejection of the project proponents.
According to the local media ABC, in trying to postpone the project, the proponent, Adrián “Billy” Vaesken (PLRA, C), said: “There are 212,000 Paraguayans who do not have a job. We have been studying this project for a year, we sent it to committee, public hearings were held. We heard that the Government has a bill that ends the monopoly in gambling, but it never sends anything. This project only wants to remove the word exclusivity, to open the doors to investors. As the law stands, they cannot come to invest in Paraguay. This bill can help President Santiago Peña achieve the creation of the 500,000 jobs he promised during the campaign”.
For her part, Abed said: “I clarify that we are not in favor of the monopoly, but the Government is preparing a bill”.
See also: Conajzar signs an agreement to promote responsible gambling in Paraguay
It is worth remembering that the initiative seeks to modify articles 8, 11, 13, 21, 22, and 23 of Law No. 1016/1997, which establishes the legal regime for the exploitation of games of chance or gambling, with the purpose of adapting the current law to the requirements of the new times.
The most significant modification is the one sought to be introduced in article 8. It establishes that concessions will be granted to the three best bidders of the tenders; and not only to one company, as is currently the case, where the concessionaire is only the best offer.
