Dominican Republic: Asonabade asks Executive Branch to review gambling bill before enactment

The National Association of Sports Betting Shops (Asonabade) has asked the Dominican Republic’s Executive Branch to review several parts of the gambling bill now awaiting a final decision. For operators and PSPs in the market, the interesting part is not the politics but the mechanics: licensing, venue expansion, and who gets to authorize what.

1. According to Asonabade president Ricardo Nadal, the association sent a letter to the Executive Branch asking for a review of provisions tied to horse betting shops, problem gambling prevention, the number of establishments, and the expansion of gaming points.
2. The bill has already completed its process in the National Congress and is now waiting for the Executive Branch to promulgate it, observe it, or introduce amendments.
3. One of Asonabade’s main objections concerns changes made during the legislative process to the grounds for cancelling or revoking licenses for gambling establishments. Nadal said some of those changes were not included in the original proposal submitted by the Executive Branch and called for the initial text to be reconsidered. He also told Diario Libre that “there are vices and interests in the law,” arguing that benefits are being concentrated among certain operators.
4. Asonabade also wants the rules on so-called Virtual Horse Games reviewed. The association points to Article 3, paragraph 29 of Law 494-06, which gives the Ministry of Finance authority to order and grant licenses for games of chance, including electronic and other formats. It says Decree 480-19 later amended the Horse Racing Regulations, added Virtual Horse Games, and assigned powers to the National Horse Racing Commission. Asonabade says the legal question is whether both institutions can hold authority over authorization for these games.
5. On venue proliferation, the association argues that any expansion of gaming points should be assessed against child protection, proximity to schools, spacing between venues, and problem gambling prevention. It also cites tax enforcement, anti-money laundering controls, and the state’s capacity to supervise the sector effectively.

Nadal said Asonabade supports modernizing the gambling framework in the Dominican Republic, but wants the law reviewed before it is finalized. For high-risk payment providers, that usually means one thing: licensing rules can change faster than commercial plans, and the details matter.