Dominican Republic: ADOBAD warns that the gambling bill could expand electronic betting and weaken oversight

The Dominican Association of Sports Betting Shops (ADOBAD) has written to President Luis Abinader about the draft General Gambling Law, arguing that the bill as currently framed could create economic and social pressure points, make supervision harder, and accelerate the spread of electronic and virtual betting. For PSPs and operators, the real issue is not the political noise: it is whether the eventual rules make the market more controllable or more exposed.

1. ADOBAD says it supports a General Gambling Law in principle, but wants changes that would set clearer rules, strengthen supervision, and give formal operators more legal certainty. In its letter to Abinader, the association argued that some provisions could put thousands of jobs at risk and create uncertainty around investments made over decades in the sector.
2. The association also asked to take part in the discussion of the bill before it moves forward, so it can present comments and proposals directly to the government. That is a standard ask in this kind of process, but it matters because the final shape of the law will decide which betting channels get formalized and which ones get squeezed.
3. One of ADOBAD’s main objections is the possibility of a significant expansion of electronic and virtual games, especially through agencias hípicas (horse-racing agencies). According to the association, that could materially reshape the betting market and create additional difficulties for control and enforcement.
4. ADOBAD also raised concerns about the more than 29.000 licenses approved by the National Horse Racing Commission, saying that a proliferation of venues and gaming formats could increase the risks associated with gambling addiction. The association added that uncontrolled growth in electronic games could expose children, girls, and adolescents to betting more easily.
5. Its message on regulation is straightforward: the new law should include effective control and enforcement tools, clear limits on the commercialization and operation of gambling, and legal certainty for companies already operating in the formal market. ADOBAD said it is ready to meet with Abinader to present its proposals directly.

For high-risk payment providers, the useful signal here is that the Dominican Republic is debating not whether to regulate gambling, but how far to open the door to electronic and virtual products while trying to keep oversight in place. That combination tends to decide where formal acquiring is viable, how strict monitoring will be, and how much room informal channels have to keep operating.