Regulator: Comisión Nacional de Juegos de Azar (CONAJZAR) - Paraguay

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1) What is CONAJZAR and what its powers are based on

CONAJZAR is the National Gambling Commission of Paraguay, a state regulator created and empowered by Ley Nº 1016/1997 "On the legal regime for the exploitation of luck games and gambling." The law explicitly states that all games provided for by the norm are subject to authorization by CONAJZAR, and the regulator develops and approves the provisions and competitive conditions (pliegos de bases y condiciones) for the operation of games. These powers are confirmed and systematized on the official portal of the regulator.

2) Institutional change 2025: CONAJZAR inside DNIT

From January 2025, Ley Nº 7438/2025 came into effect, which modified and expanded Ley 1016/1997 and administratively moved CONAJZAR under the direction of the National Revenue Authority (DNIT). According to the Presidential Administration, such integration provides operational infrastructure, logistics and technical personnel at the national level for the implementation of the law. Texts and materials on Ley 7438/2025 are posted on BACN and on the regulator's "Marco Jurídico."

3) Main tasks and functions of CONAJZAR

• Authorizes the operation of legally prescribed types of gambling;
• Approves game regulations, including new modalities;
• Prepare and approve tender conditions (pliegos) for national concessions/licenses;
• Announces competitions for the operation of games of federal competence and oversees their implementation. These tasks are systematized in legal reviews and explanations for the 2025 reform.

4) Regulatory ecosystem: law, decrees and resolutions

Carcass - Ley 1016/1997 (as amended, including Ley 4716/2012 and Ley 7438/2025). The practical deployment of procedures is described by presidential decrees (for example, the historical Decreto Nº 6206/1999 regulated the operation of games and the procedure for concessions). Additionally, CONAJZAR issues resolutions detailing the operation of individual verticals and law enforcement (for example, the distribution of unclaimed prizes, etc.). Up-to-date collections of legal acts are posted on the MEF/DNIT websites.

5) Protection of minors and control of equipment outside the casino

In 2022, a special law Ley Nº 6903/2022 was adopted on the protection of children and adolescents from the influence of slot machines; in December 2023 it is regulated by Decreto Nº 938/2023. These norms tightened the placement and circulation of electronic slot machines outside licensed halls (shops, bars, etc.), which led to a revision of previously issued permits and contracts. Relevant communications and documents are available on BACN/DNIT/MEF portals and in industry overviews.

6) What changes Ley 7438/2025 for the market

The new edition clarifies that all games by law require CONAJZAR authorization, and redistributes institutional roles within DNIT, updating procedures, control and responsibility (up to the obligation to report to the prosecutor's office for a number of violations). For operators, this means the need to verify the current regulations and tender documentation with the editors after 2025.

7) Transparency and digital services: registries and publications

CONAJZAR maintains the National Register of Luck Game Operators (Registro Nacional de Operadores), publishes legal frameworks and communications on key decrees (including 938/2023) on its portal. This helps market participants check the status of counterparties and monitor new requirements.

8) Admission practice: contests and plegios

Entry into the vertical of federal competence (for example, lotteries, national products, bets, etc., according to the list in Ley 1016 and subsequent norms) is carried out through competitions with approved pliegos de bases y condiciones. The role of CONAJZAR is to homologate regulations, approve plaques and control the execution of concessions. Detailed explanations and a set of functions are available in the 2025 reform materials.

9) Practical recommendations for operator/investor

1. Check competence and vertical. Make sure that the type of game is included in the Ley 1016/1997 lists (as amended) and is subject to federal or local competence; for federal - focus on CONAJZAR/DNIT.

2. Look for relevant plegios and regulations. Only work on documents published after Ley 7438/2025 as procedures may have been updated.

3. Comply with Responsible Gaming requirements. Carefully enforce restrictions on equipment placement and juvenile access (Ley 6903/2022 + Decreto 938/2023); violation leads to termination of permits and sanctions.

4. Check the registry. Enter yourself and counterparties in the Registro Nacional de Operadores, check the statuses and publications of the regulator.

CONAJZAR is Paraguay's central gambling regulator, operating on the basis of Ley 1016/1997 and its revision of 2025 (Ley 7438/2025), with a strengthened mandate within DNIT. The regulator authorizes and regulates all game verticals, holds contests/concessions, monitors compliance with norms and promotes a responsible game policy, including hard barriers to the admission of minors to slot machines. For business, this means: working strictly according to current plegios and regulations, maintaining compliance and checking statuses through official digital registries and CONAJZAR publications.