Dominican Republic Senate approves comprehensive gambling reform, including online betting and 10% monthly tax

The Dominican Republic Senate has approved, in a single reading, amendments introduced by the Chamber of Deputies to a bill that would modernize the country’s gambling framework. For operators and PSPs, the important part is simple: online gambling is being pulled into a formal licensing regime, with clearer supervision, penalties, and a 10% monthly tax on internet operations.

1. The bill was presented by senators Pedro Catrain and Félix Ramón Bautista and covers casinos, lottery shops, sports betting, bingo, slot machines, and online betting platforms. The stated aim is to consolidate and update the rules governing these segments.
2. One of the main structural changes is separation between the regulator and the industry it oversees. The draft also adds specific obligations aimed at protecting minors, while backing enforcement with fines, closures, license revocations, administrator bans, and prison terms.
3. According to Yamile Aismel Gutiérrez Figuereo, founding partner at G&G Studio Legal and a gambling industry specialist, the reform should do more than tighten control over licensed operators. In her view, it also needs to address the illegal market and provide legal certainty and fair competition conditions.
4. The new framework would create a regulatory structure led by the Dirección General de Juegos de Azar and the Consejo de Juegos de Azar, with broader powers for regulation, supervision, and inspection. It would also bring online gambling into statute for the first time, replacing reliance on Resolución Número 136-2024.
5. Under the bill, only duly licensed legal entities would be allowed to operate online gambling, with licenses valid for ten years. The proposal also keeps a 10% monthly tax on internet operations.

For high-risk payment providers, the key takeaway is that the Dominican Republic is moving toward a more defined licensing and enforcement regime for online gambling. That usually means clearer onboarding criteria, better-structured compliance expectations, and less room for operators to rely on informal arrangements.