Paraguay to debate two new gaming bills

Paraguay’s gaming laws, which date back to 1997, would be changed so that casinos would be allowed throughout the entire territory in order to generate more income for the state, create jobs and boost the tourism industry.

The law currently in force limits casinos to the departments in Paraguay where casinos can only be permitted in those with a population of more than 250,000 inhabitants. These are Alto Paraná, Itapúa, Amambay, Cordillera, Misiones and the Central department, while only more than one casino is currently allowed in capital Asuncion. The proposed changes were put forward by conservative lawmakers Mario Cáceres and Óscar Tuma.

Members of the opposition party are proposing that government owned land or property should not be used for the site of a casino. This could be key when it comes to the future of the proposed casino on an eleven-hectare site owned by the National Administration of Navigation and Ports (ANNP) in Ciudad del Este. Opposition has been growing for some time to the new project.

The bill was put forward by Deputies from the Authentic Liberal Radical Party (PLRA) Amado Florentín, Édgar Acosta, Jorge Ávalos Mariño and Celso Kennedy. Amado Florentín first presented the new bill back in August saying that Paraguayan rules when it comes to granting gaming licences were highly restrictive and added that the use of state property for casinos was not in keeping with Paraguayan gaming laws.