The devices did not meet the requirements of the National Gambling Commission.
Paraguay.- As part of the "librar" operation, the Municipal Regulatory Police of Asunción seized yesterday, Thursday, October 24, 13 slot machines found in clandestine venues at different points of the city, in violation of the slot machine law that came into effect earlier this year.
According to the authorities, the operation is named "librar" because it aims to free children from gambling, within the framework of the compliance with Law 6903/22 which establishes protective measures for minors against the influences of slot machines.
Maximiliano Ayala, director of the Municipal Regulatory Police, indicated that they proceeded to seize the machines that were strategically and illegally placed in public spaces, which is prohibited by current legislation.
Law 6903/22 strictly prohibits minors from playing with slot machines. It also establishes the total prohibition of slot machines being in public spaces, hence the presence of slots in pantries, kiosks, hardware stores, outdoors, or any public place will no longer be tolerated. Moreover, these machines must be kept out of sight of minors, in premises that are properly authorized by the municipality.
The operation of the regulators of the Municipal Regulatory Police covered the area of Municipal Market No. 4, and the most vulnerable part of the Santísima Trinidad neighborhood, where they were able to seize the 13 illegal machines.
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The devices were taken to the central facilities of the commune in Villa Aurelia, where officials from the Municipal Internal Audit Office recorded the corresponding inventory. The seized machines will be transferred to the surplus depots of the commune and the records are forwarded to the Legal Affairs Directorate of the Commune requesting their destruction.
Ayala reminded that in Asunción only authorized places can have slot machines, such as casinos, gaming rooms, that meet all the requirements demanded by the National Gambling Commission (Conajzar) and that have the corresponding authorization from the Municipality of Asunción.
Furthermore, the official urged parents to make the corresponding complaint to the Municipality and explained that the work is not easy for the crews since it always requires time to investigate where the machines are located and then in some cases the owners of the premises are hostile to the intervention.
The director regretted that during the operation several devices escaped control whose owners hid them and stated that these efforts will continue without pause.
The slot machine law establishes the monitoring and control of the collection of slot machines as a measure to trace the money, which is why, from this decree, the municipalities must inform the Conajzar about all the exclusive gambling businesses of electronic machines (except casinos) that are in their area and the fee they charge.
