Dominican Republic reshuffles its gaming regulator as Senate advances gambling reform

President Luis Abinader has appointed Teófilo José Abrahán Leo Tabar Manzur as temporary head of the Dirección General de Juegos de Azar (DGJA) through Decreto 684-26, while the Senate moves ahead with a bill to modernize the country’s gambling framework. For high-risk operators, the timing matters: the regulator’s leadership is being reset at the same moment the legal rules for casinos, lotteries, sports betting, bingo, slot machines, and online betting platforms are being rewritten.

1. Tabar Manzur had previously served as coordinator of the Proceso de Regularización de Juegos de Azar. Under the decree, he now takes over the DGJA on a temporary basis.
2. Decreto 684-26 also sets out three institutional measures: the Consejo Consultivo, created by Decreto 533-21 on August 28, 2021, will provide honorary advice and support to the DGJA; that advice is meant to help design public policies that improve internal procedures and ensure an efficient and timely public service; and all competent authorities must provide the coordination and cooperation needed for the DGJA to carry out its functions properly.
3. In parallel, the Senate approved in a single reading the changes made by the Chamber of Deputies to the gambling bill introduced by senators Pedro Catrain and Félix Ramón Bautista. The draft law aims to consolidate and modernize rules covering casinos, lottery outlets, sports betting, bingo, slot machines, and online betting platforms.
4. The reform also includes provisions on the regulator’s independence from the industry it oversees and on child protection obligations. To enforce those rules, it foresees fines, closure of establishments, loss of license, disqualification of administrators, and prison.
5. Yamile Aismel Gutiérrez Figuereo, founding partner of G&G Studio Legal and a gaming specialist, said in an interview with SBC Noticias that the reform is an opportunity to modernize the sector. Her point is practical rather than decorative: she argued the goal should not be limited to tightening controls on licensed operators, but also to tackling the illegal market and ensuring legal certainty, proportionality, and competitive conditions.

For PSPs, acquirers, and banking partners, the useful signal here is not just “new law coming.” It is that the Dominican Republic is working on both the institutional setup of the DGJA and the substantive rulebook at the same time, which usually means more regulatory movement before the market settles.