(H1): State revenues from licenses and taxes (Paraguay)

Shortly

The main receipts go through canons (license and concession payments) and related fees administered by CONAJZAR under the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF )/DNIT. In 2024, the regulator collected PYG 175.768 billion (≈ USD 22.2 million), + 11% by 2023, setting a record.

Distribution of canons under the new 2025 framework: 30% to municipalities, 30% to departments, 30% to DIBEN (charity), 10% to the Central Treasury (for national-level games). For games of departments - similarly at the venue.

In 2024, monthly records were recorded (for example, October: PYG 15.521 billion; January-October: PYG 143.376 billion, + 10% YoY).

In 2025, CONAJZAR is integrated with DNIT and declares accelerated growth, industry reviews mention ambitions to triple fees relative to 2024 (estimate - benchmark).

Legal and institutional framework

Basic Law: Ley N ° 1016/1997 - legal regime for the exploitation of gambling and the powers of CONAJZAR (tenders, concessions, distribution of canons).

CONAJZAR (DNIT) page: functions for CDI (tender documentation), conducting tenders and calculating the distribution of canons.

Updates 2024-2025: the regulator regularly publishes final reports on the collection of canons (MEF).

What are the state revenues made up of

1) Canons (concesión/canon)

What it is: fixed/interest payments on concessions and licenses (casino, bingo, lotteries/quiniela, sweepstakes, sportbetting, online forms).

Fact: for January-December 2024 - PYG 175.768 billion, which is 11% higher than 2023 (PYG 158.08 billion).

Dynamics for 2024: January-August - PYG 112.502 billion (+ 10.1% YoY); October - a record month of PYG 15.521 billion; Jan-Oct - PYG 143.376 bn, + 10% YoY

2) Taxes and other charges

Tax revenues are linked to gross operator revenue (GGR) and transferred through DNIT mechanisms; public releases more often cite the collected canons/revenues of CONAJZAR rather than the pure GGR of the industry.

💡 Important: the published amounts of CONAJZAR are regulatory fees (canons) and related government revenues that are not equal to the total revenue of the operators. However, they reflect the market growth trend well.

How the money is distributed

Under the new 2025 distribution scheme (for national-level games):

30% to municipalities (including Asunción), 30% to departments, 30% to DIBEN (Dirección de Beneficencia y Ayuda Social), 10% to the Central Treasury (Tesoro Nacional).
For departmental level games, a similar principle applies for the "affected territory." The funds of the mun/dep levels are directed to social spending, the priority is health care and education.

Role of DIBEN. According to 2023, up to 80% of the DIBEN budget was formed due to games (canons).

Budget Affecting Verticals

Quiniela and lotteries. A major source of canons; in 2025, a multi-operator model was launched (for the first time - more than one winner), which should expand the revenue base.

Sportbetting. Since 2018 - exclusive concession Daruma SAM (Apostala); the regulator initiates a transition to competition (announcements of tender preparation, despite the current exclusive period). This is a potential uplift for fees once the market actually opens.

Casino/bingo/online. Administrative procedure reforms and DNIT controls strengthen collectability; industry reports for 2025 record an increase in aggregate fees.

What the numbers show (reference values)

2024 (total): PYG 175.768 billion (≈ USD 22.2 million), + 11% by 2023.

2024 (intra-year dynamics): January-August PYG 112.502 billion; October - PYG 15.521 billion; January-October - PYG 143.376 billion

2025 (tone): in industry materials - growth associated with the restructuring of supervision and integration with DNIT; plans to "triple" the 2024 indicator were announced (to be considered as an ambitious guideline, not a fait accompli).

Why distribution is important for regions

Municipalities and departments receive 30% each - this is a direct incentive to support the legal market (infrastructure, control, social programs).

DIBEN funds targeted assistance; the dependence (up to 80% of the budget) on games makes transparency and sustainability of fees critical.

Risks and Growth Drivers 2025-2026

Growth factors

1. Competitive tenders (quiniela, hereinafter sports betting) → expanding the base of payers and marketing investments.

2. CONAJZAR-DNIT integration → administration unification and payment control.

3. The online channel → the best cross-vertical collection (from casino to betting).

Risks

The transition period for sportbetting (the current exclusive vs. open tender plans) → legal and calendar uncertainty at the time of the effect on the budget.

DIBEN's dependence on industry revenues → vulnerability to downturns.

A gray online segment with a delay in secondary housing → a shortage according to the canons. (Infers from the general logic of reform and media commentary on DNIT/CONAJZAR.)

Practical glossary

Canon - license/concession payment of operators in favor of the state.

CONAJZAR - gambling regulator (tenders, control, distribution of canons).

DNIT - National Tax Revenue Administration; coordinates fees and controls.

DIBEN is the beneficiary of 30% of the canons (social support).

Government revenues from gambling in Paraguay are showing steady growth: 2024 closed with a record PYG of 175.8 billion (+ 11%), and in 2025 a course was set to strengthen administration and expand competition (multi-operator quiniela, preparation of an open tender for rates). The new 30/ 30/30/10 model makes canons a visible resource for regional budgets and social policy through DIBEN, and also increases the share going to the central treasury. The main task for 2025-2026 is the rapid and transparent introduction of secondary acts and tender procedures in order to convert reforms into steadily growing government revenues.

Sources: Official MEF/CONAJZAR publications on fees 2024, legal bases on Ley 1016/1997 and canon allocation (updates 2025), and industry summaries on dynamics 2025 and DNIT/CONAJZAR plans