Stock image, for illustration only. Not related to the actual events.
Paraguay’s tax directorate is assuming direct control of gambling licensing and concessions from the National Gambling Commission, as the country implements a sweeping overhaul of its gaming sector under Law 7,438/2025.
Oscar Orue, President of the National Directorate of Tax Revenue (DNIT), told reporters this week that President Santiago Pena had instructed his department to take greater responsibility for gambling governance. The move strips CONAJZAR, the National Gambling Commission, of its licensing functions while refocusing the regulator on market supervision and problem gambling monitoring.
DNIT will now handle the application of government tenders and concessions for gambling services, a shift designed to improve transparency after scrutiny of CONAJZAR’s handling of a sports-betting franchise tender in 2023. Complaints over the transparency and competitive terms of that process accelerated calls to overhaul how Paraguay awards gambling concessions.
The restructuring follows the January 2025 passage of Law 7,438/2025, which dismantles Paraguay’s monopoly-based concession model and opens regulated gambling verticals to greater competition. Under the new framework, CONAJZAR becomes a decentralized body operating under DNIT oversight, focused on day-to-day market management and enforcement rather than licensing decisions.
Transition underway, existing licenses intact
The changes are being phased in. Existing concessions remain valid until their contractual terms expire, including Aposta.la’s exclusive sports-betting license, which had been the subject of the 2023 tender controversy.
DNIT’s expanded role is intended to centralize control over tenders and taxation, addressing pressure that built after the botched franchise process. The tax directorate will now ensure the transparency of gambling tenders and concessions, while CONAJZAR supervises operators and monitors consumer protection.
Consumer protection forms another pillar of the revised structure. CONAJZAR will monitor problem gambling as the market transitions to a more competitive model, with oversight authority shifting to the agency tasked with collecting gambling taxes.
Carlos Liseras returns as DNIT representative
President Pena has also confirmed the return of Carlos Liseras to CONAJZAR, appointing him as the regulator’s DNIT representative. Liseras had been on unpaid leave from CONAJZAR while serving as an alternate senator, temporarily occupying a seat vacated by Gustavo Leite, who had been serving as Paraguay’s ambassador to the United States.
A presidential decree terminated Liseras’s leave and formalized his appointment to CONAJZAR, replacing Roxana Carolina del Rio Villalba. The government thanked del Rio Villalba for her service.
Liseras rejoins the regulator as DNIT prepares to take control of licensing and concessions under the competitive framework established by Law 7,438/2025. The timing places him at CONAJZAR during the most significant restructuring of Paraguay’s gambling sector in years, as the country moves away from monopoly concessions and integrates the gambling commission into the tax directorate’s oversight.
Key questions answered
Why is Paraguay transferring gambling licensing responsibilities from CONAJZAR to the tax agency?
The shift is designed to improve transparency after complaints about CONAJZAR’s handling of a sports-betting franchise tender in 2023. The move centralizes control over tenders and taxation under DNIT while refocusing CONAJZAR on market supervision and problem gambling monitoring.
What happens to existing gambling licenses under the new law?
Existing concessions remain valid until their contractual terms expire, including Aposta.la’s exclusive sports-betting license that was awarded in the controversial 2023 tender.
What will CONAJZAR’s role be after the restructure?
CONAJZAR will become a decentralized body operating under DNIT oversight, focused on day-to-day market management, enforcement, operator supervision, and problem gambling monitoring rather than licensing decisions.
Who is Carlos Liseras and why is his appointment significant?
Carlos Liseras is returning to CONAJZAR as the DNIT representative after being on unpaid leave while serving as an alternate senator. His return comes during the most significant restructuring of Paraguay’s gambling sector in years as the country moves away from monopoly concessions.