--- title: "Dominican Republic gambling licensing, cost and supervision | advennt.io" canonical: https://advennt.io/jurisdictions/dominican-republic/ source_html: /jurisdictions/do/index.html description: "Dominican Republic gambling regulation by game: 4 open · 4 restricted · 2 closed · 6 uncertain · 4 not yet assessed." generated_at: 2026-10-26T22:03:01Z content_sha256: 3283d3b6bfeeb106da4e8e7383d2b0ab19586f3551cc7ef143f2f8529697c636 generator: "fe-fleet/md-twin@1.0" --- # Dominican Republic gambling licensing, cost and supervision | advennt.io [Jurisdictions](/jurisdictions/) › Dominican Republic # Dominican Republic National jurisdiction Enter via a Res. 136-2024 online licence if you can absorb high fees and domestic hosting; watch the DGJA transition. [4 open · 4 restricted · 2 closed · 6 uncertain · 4 not yet assessed → 20 classes](#products) Collected 25 Oct 2026 · Published 26 Oct 2026 · Changed 25 Oct 2026 [PDF](report.pdf) [Sign in for PDF](https://advennt.io/auth/) [Compare](/compare/?j=dominican-republic) ## Can we offer our product? Every product class, in fixed taxonomy order. The band is what you can do; where the recorded legal status says something the band does not, it is shown beside the product. ### Player products - CasinoRRestricted - PokerRRestricted - BingoRRestricted - LotteryState monopolyXClosed - Sports bettingRRestricted - Other event betting–Not yet assessed - Horse and greyhound racing betting–Not yet assessed - Esports bettingNot yet regulated?Uncertain - Exchange bettingModels agreeOOpen - Pool betting–Not yet assessed - Virtual event betting–Not yet assessed - Fantasy sportsNot yet regulated?Uncertain - Skill gamesNot yet regulated?Uncertain - Prediction marketsGrey zone · Models agree?Uncertain - SweepstakesModels agreeOOpen - Free playOutside the regulatory perimeter · Models agreeOOpen ### Supply roles - Software / B2BNot yet regulated?Uncertain - Affiliate marketingNot yet regulated?Uncertain - Payments for gamblingModels agreeOOpen ### Settlement rail - Crypto gamblingProhibitedXClosed Class-level certainty is graded for 5 of 20 classes. ## Board briefing DR moving fast from grey-online to formalised, unified gambling regulation. #### What has changed - Resolution 136-2024 opened a licensable online casino/sports-betting regime; Decreto 197-26 (March 2026) and Resolution 184-2026 added regularisation and a national self-exclusion system; a bill would replace the DCJA with a unified DGJA. #### What to do now - If targeting DR online, scope a Res. 136-2024 licence (Dominican entity, .do hosting, performance bond, AML program) and watch the DGJA bill before committing to long-term structure. #### What to watch - Senate passage of the DGJA bill, DCJA online GGR tax confirmation, and enforcement posture under the regularisation drive. ## 11 answers, each dated and graded The weather grades favourability for an operator, not legality: legality is the product table above. The left rule is our confidence: solid confirmed, dashed probable, dotted uncertain. 01 · What kind of market is this? ### Overview Mixed Law 86-26, promulgated 22 September 2026 and gazetted 2 October 2026 as Gaceta Oficial No. 11263, replaces the framework built on the 1964 Law 351 and consolidates casinos, lottery banks, horse-racing agencies, slot halls, bingo and internet betting under one statute. The new regulator, the Direcció… Full analysis · 150 words Law 86-26, promulgated 22 September 2026 and gazetted 2 October 2026 as Gaceta Oficial No. 11263, replaces the framework built on the 1964 Law 351 and consolidates casinos, lottery banks, horse-racing agencies, slot halls, bingo and internet betting under one statute. The new regulator, the Dirección General de Juegos de Azar, is an autonomous authority under the Ministry of Finance and Economy, overseen by a newly created multi-sectoral Council of Games of Chance, replacing the former Dirección de Casinos y Juegos de Azar. The market is in a structural transition: the primary statute is fully in force, but the implementing regulations that would make its licensing, fee and certification provisions operational have not yet been published. As a civil-law jurisdiction, the Dominican Republic's gambling regime now rests on the classic statutory stack of an enabling Act awaiting its implementing decree, with the Council's own internal regulations forming a further layer. - Regulatory transition uncertainty (DCJA→DGJA) - Domestic server/.do hosting requirement - Reform-driven compliance tightening Probable AI-generated [Read full analysis & tables →](/jurisdictions/dominican-republic/overview/) 02 · Can we get a licence? ### Licensing and regulation Mixed Law 86-26 fixes licence terms directly in primary legislation rather than leaving them to regulation. Article 47 sets casino licences at ten years, available only to establishments located within four-star-or-higher-rated hotels. Lottery bank licences move from two to five years, while casinos remai… Full analysis · 169 words Law 86-26 fixes licence terms directly in primary legislation rather than leaving them to regulation. Article 47 sets casino licences at ten years, available only to establishments located within four-star-or-higher-rated hotels. Lottery bank licences move from two to five years, while casinos remain at ten. Internet gambling, under Articles 75 to 77, requires a ten-year operating licence restricted to duly authorised legal persons, with rates and conditions to be set via decisions of the Council of Games of Chance. The law expressly extends its authorisation and supervisory scope to businesses providing technological, logistical or manufacturing support to the industry, bringing B2B suppliers formally within the licensing perimeter. The issuing authority throughout is the new Dirección General de Juegos de Azar, an autonomous authority under the Ministry of Finance and Economy. What remains outstanding is the detailed conditions package: application fees and fit-and-proper criteria are expected from the President's implementing regulations, due within ninety days of promulgation, and the Council's internal regulations, due within a further one hundred twenty days. Probable AI-generated [Read full analysis & tables →](/jurisdictions/dominican-republic/licensing/) 03 · How hard is entry, really? ### Market entry in practice Mixed Entry requires a Dominican legal entity registered in the Registro Mercantil and the RNC/DGII. Online entrants pursue a Res. 136-2024 licence (high fee, domestic hosting); land-based entrants apply via the Comisión de Casinos with bond and tax clearance. Advisory ecosystem is available in Santo Domi… Full analysis · 50 words Entry requires a Dominican legal entity registered in the Registro Mercantil and the RNC/DGII. Online entrants pursue a Res. 136-2024 licence (high fee, domestic hosting); land-based entrants apply via the Comisión de Casinos with bond and tax clearance. Advisory ecosystem is available in Santo Domingo (Pellerano & Herrera, Guzmán Ariza). Probable AI-generated [Read full analysis & tables →](/jurisdictions/dominican-republic/market-entry/) 04 · What do the licences cost? ### Licence fees Mixed Online licence fees under Resolution 136-2024 are material: online casino ~USD 346,000 and online sports betting ~USD 260,000, plus a third 'other applications' licence. Land-based casino entry involves administrative tariffs, a surety bond and DGII clearance, with fixed per-table operation taxes ke… Full analysis · 45 words Online licence fees under Resolution 136-2024 are material: online casino ~USD 346,000 and online sports betting ~USD 260,000, plus a third 'other applications' licence. Land-based casino entry involves administrative tariffs, a surety bond and DGII clearance, with fixed per-table operation taxes keyed to geographic category. Probable AI-generated [Read full analysis & tables →](/jurisdictions/dominican-republic/fees/) 05 · What is the tax take? ### Tax Mixed Land-based casinos are taxed under a fixed per-table regime keyed to geographic category (Ley 351-64 Art. 14 as amended); the proposed DGJA bill cites ~RD$55,853/table/month for the first 15 tables and a 5% tax on slot gross sales. Corporate income tax is 27% and ITBIS (VAT) is 18%. The exact online… Full analysis · 59 words Land-based casinos are taxed under a fixed per-table regime keyed to geographic category (Ley 351-64 Art. 14 as amended); the proposed DGJA bill cites ~RD$55,853/table/month for the first 15 tables and a 5% tax on slot gross sales. Corporate income tax is 27% and ITBIS (VAT) is 18%. The exact online GGR rate under Resolution 136-2024 requires DCJA confirmation. Uncertain AI-generated [Read full analysis & tables →](/jurisdictions/dominican-republic/taxes/) 06 · Can we move player money? ### Payments and banking Mixed The Dominican peso operates a managed float against the USD. Payment rails include Visa/Mastercard, bank transfer, e-wallets and mobile money (mPago, tPago, SuperGiro). Gambling operators are AML-obligated under Ley 155-17, with PSPs overseen by the Banco Central. No formal cross-border capital cont… Full analysis · 43 words The Dominican peso operates a managed float against the USD. Payment rails include Visa/Mastercard, bank transfer, e-wallets and mobile money (mPago, tPago, SuperGiro). Gambling operators are AML-obligated under Ley 155-17, with PSPs overseen by the Banco Central. No formal cross-border capital controls apply. Uncertain AI-generated [Read full analysis & tables →](/jurisdictions/dominican-republic/payments/) 07 · Can we advertise? ### Marketing Mixed Gambling advertising in the DR has historically been lightly regulated, with bancas and casinos advertising across TV, radio and digital channels. Resolution 184-2026 introduces responsible-gambling messaging and minor-protection constraints, signalling a tightening trajectory, but no comprehensive … Full analysis · 42 words Gambling advertising in the DR has historically been lightly regulated, with bancas and casinos advertising across TV, radio and digital channels. Resolution 184-2026 introduces responsible-gambling messaging and minor-protection constraints, signalling a tightening trajectory, but no comprehensive watershed/bonus regime is yet in force. Probable AI-generated [Read full analysis & tables →](/jurisdictions/dominican-republic/marketing/) 08 · What must the platform meet? ### Technical compliance Mixed Law 86-26 introduces a new minimum slot-machine return-to-player requirement of eighty-five percent, together with new location and siting restrictions on gaming equipment. This is a concrete, in-force technical standard applying continuously to slot-hall operators. What has not yet been published i… Full analysis · 96 words Law 86-26 introduces a new minimum slot-machine return-to-player requirement of eighty-five percent, together with new location and siting restrictions on gaming equipment. This is a concrete, in-force technical standard applying continuously to slot-hall operators. What has not yet been published is the certification or test-house regime that would operationalise this standard, nor any change-control process for equipment modifications. Both are expected to follow from the DGJA's implementing regulations, due within ninety days of the 2 October 2026 commencement date, and until they appear the compliance mechanics behind the eighty-five percent floor remain unconfirmed at rule level. Uncertain AI-generated [Read full analysis & tables →](/jurisdictions/dominican-republic/technical/) 09 · Can we ship through apps and platforms? ### Distribution and platforms Mixed Article 75 of Law 86-26 restricts internet gambling to duly licensed legal persons, and requires the DGJA to maintain and publish two lists: authorised internet-gambling operators, and blocked platforms. This statutory blocking-list mechanism is now in force, though the DGJA has not yet published ei… Full analysis · 115 words Article 75 of Law 86-26 restricts internet gambling to duly licensed legal persons, and requires the DGJA to maintain and publish two lists: authorised internet-gambling operators, and blocked platforms. This statutory blocking-list mechanism is now in force, though the DGJA has not yet published either list. A related report indicates that unauthorised foreign gambling platforms can be blocked and that related bank transfers can be frozen, extending the distribution-control regime into the payment layer for any platform operating outside the authorised .do domain structure. Until the DGJA's lists are published, operators and distributors cannot yet verify authorisation status against an official register, leaving the practical operation of the blocking mechanism dependent on forthcoming regulatory publication. Probable AI-generated [Read full analysis & tables →](/jurisdictions/dominican-republic/distribution/) 10 · How hard does the regulator enforce? ### Enforcement Favourable DGJA's first enforcement acts, issued 13 October 2026, were Resolutions 01-2026 and 02-2026. Resolution 01-2026 bans the opening of new lottery banks, agencies and other gambling establishments and the installation of new lottery vending machines. Resolution 02-2026 gives operators a non-extendable … Full analysis · 175 words DGJA's first enforcement acts, issued 13 October 2026, were Resolutions 01-2026 and 02-2026. Resolution 01-2026 bans the opening of new lottery banks, agencies and other gambling establishments and the installation of new lottery vending machines. Resolution 02-2026 gives operators a non-extendable thirty calendar day window to declare, under oath, any shops opened irregularly. A further report dated 16 October 2026 states that DGJA will apply Law 86-26's sanctions regime, including provisional suspension of draws, against entities breaching the statute's five-hundred-metre school exclusion zone. These are the regulator's first substantive acts under the new statute, and they are restrictive rather than facilitative: a moratorium on new openings, a narrow compliance-declaration window, and a stated willingness to suspend draws for siting violations. The statute also reportedly grants power to block unauthorised foreign gambling platforms and freeze related bank transfers, extending enforcement exposure to the payment layer. No enforcement events beyond these three items have been evidenced, and the underlying statutory detail rests on secondary legal-commentary reporting rather than the primary gazette text, which was not independently retrieved. Uncertain AI-generated 7 enforcement events [Read full analysis & tables →](/jurisdictions/dominican-republic/enforcement/) 11 · What is coming? ### Outlook Mixed The DR is in an active formalisation cycle. Three reform vectors are live: Resolution 136-2024 bedding-in, the Decreto 197-26 National Regularisation Plan (in force 26 March 2026), and President Abinader's bill to create a unified Dirección General de Juegos de Azar (DGJA), backed by the National Lo… Full analysis · 64 words The DR is in an active formalisation cycle. Three reform vectors are live: Resolution 136-2024 bedding-in, the Decreto 197-26 National Regularisation Plan (in force 26 March 2026), and President Abinader's bill to create a unified Dirección General de Juegos de Azar (DGJA), backed by the National Lottery Advisory Council. The direction is consolidating and tightening, with positive long-run market-structure implications but near-term transition risk. Probable AI-generated [Read full analysis & tables →](/jurisdictions/dominican-republic/outlook/) Evidential record & source register 0 enforcement · 26 red flags · 12 sources · Expand full record ## What gets operators fined 26 red flags (5 high, 13 medium, 8 low) and 5 controls that address them. - highOperating online without a Res. 136-2024 licenceBrings unlicensed-activity exposure under the formalising 2026 regime.Source 6 · T3 - highFailure to host servers domesticallyBreaches a core Res. 136-2024 licence condition.Source 6 · T3 - highInadequate AML program under Ley 155-17Operators are designated obligated subjects supervised by UAF.Source 3 · T1 - highNot integrating the national self-exclusion registerRes. 184-2026 mandates blocking excluded players.Source 7 · T3 - highProposed up-to-10-year imprisonment under DGJA billCriminal exposure escalates if bill enacts.Source 9 · T3 - mediumNo B2B supplier licence pathwayB2B suppliers have no route to direct authorisation.Source 10 · T3 - mediumRegulator transition (DCJA→DGJA)Licence-issuing authority and conditions may change mid-cycle.Source 9 · T3 - mediumUnconfirmed online GGR tax rateP&L modelling uncertain pending DCJA confirmation.Source 10 · T3 - mediumCrypto-gambling not provided forCrypto products fall outside the licensable perimeter.Source 6 · T3 - mediumHigh online licence fee (~USD 346k casino)Capital barrier to entry for smaller operators.Source 6 · T3 - mediumTightening RG/marketing rules under 184-2026Permissive ad practices may become non-compliant.Source 7 · T3 - mediumMCC 7995 card treatment unverifiedCard acceptance for gambling may be inconsistent.Source 10 · T3 - mediumLotería Nacional consolidation proposalsPossible centralisation of all gaming under Lottery body.Source 12 · T3 - mediumHistorical light-touch may reverse abruptlyOperators relying on non-enforcement face sudden exposure.Source 8 · T3 - mediumSource-of-funds affidavit on online licenceMisstatement carries licence and criminal risk.Source 6 · T3 - medium'Other applications' licence scope undefinedPoker/bingo/fantasy treatment uncertain.Source 6 · T3 - mediumMultistakeholder council coordination riskOverlapping bodies (DGII, Indotel, Lotería) may produce inconsistent demands.Source 8 · T3 - mediumDecreto 197-26 annulled Decreto 295-22Prior regularisation arrangements voided; re-papering required.Source 8 · T3 - lowNon-transferability in first three yearsConstrains M&A/exit during early licence life.Source 6 · T3 - lowWeak data-protection regime (Ley 172-13)Player-data governance rests on an underdeveloped law.Source 10 · T3 - lowCruise-ship casino licensing under Res. 164-2026New specific regime for maritime casino operators.Source 4 · T1 - lowZoning buffer rules in DGJA bill (200m/500m)Land-based siting may become non-compliant.Source 9 · T3 - lowForeign operator local-entity requirementRequires Registro Mercantil and RNC registration.Source 10 · T3 - lowDCJA fraud-history controversyInstitutional credibility concerns flagged in reform debate.Source 9 · T3 - lowCash-heavy bancas channel digitalisingTransitional payment landscape complicates rails.Source 10 · T3 - lowOffshore advertising into DR largely unrestricted historicallyMay draw enforcement under formalisation.Source 8 · T3 ### Controls - 001Res. 136-2024 online licence holdSecure and maintain the relevant online licence category with domestic hosting.Source 6 · T3 - 002Ley 155-17 AML programImplement risk-based AML/CFT controls per Res. 204-17 and report to UAF.Source 3 · T1 - 003Self-exclusion integrationIntegrate with the National Self-Exclusion System and block excluded players.Source 7 · T3 - 004Local entity & tax registrationRegister in Registro Mercantil and obtain RNC/DGII registration.Source 10 · T3 - 005Transition monitoring (DCJA→DGJA)Track the DGJA bill and re-paper licence arrangements as needed.Source 9 · T3 ## Worked scenarios 5 entry scenarios, each with the move we would make. #### EU operator wants to offer online sportsbook to DR players. Requires Res. 136-2024 online sports betting licence (~USD 260k), Dominican entity, .do domain and domestic hosting, AML program and self-exclusion integration. Do this: Pursue licensed entry; budget high licence fee and hosting; monitor DGJA bill. Source 6 · T3 Source 7 · T3 #### B2B platform supplier seeking direct DR authorisation. No B2B licence pathway exists under Res. 136-2024; supply only to a locally-licensed B2C operator. Do this: Contract with a licensed operator; await DGJA reform for a possible B2B class. Source 10 · T3 #### Land-based casino in a Punta Cana resort. Apply via Comisión de Casinos under Ley 351-64 with inspection, bond and DGII clearance; per-table tax by geographic category. Do this: Engage local counsel; structure within hotel; budget per-table tax. Source 5 · T1 Source 1 · T1 #### Crypto-settled casino targeting DR. Crypto gambling is not provided for under the licensable framework; treat as prohibited/grey. Do this: Do not launch crypto-settled product; reassess under future reform. Source 6 · T3 #### Offshore operator currently serving DR from Curaçao. Historically tolerated but the 2026 regularisation drive increases formalisation and criminal-exposure risk under the DGJA bill. Do this: Migrate to a Res. 136-2024 licence or exit before enforcement tightens. Source 8 · T3 Source 9 · T3 ## What we looked for and could not find Confirmed absence is a finding of its own. These are the questions we searched and could not answer from a citable source, with the searches we ran. Never behind the paywall. Cost to operate. exact online GGR tax rate under Resolution 136-2024 not confirmed at article level. - searched: Resolution 136-2024 online gambling GGR tax rate Dominican Republic - searched: impuesto GGR juego en línea República Dominicana 136-2024 - searched: DCJA online betting tax percentage - checked: casinos.gob.do Competitive landscape. licensed-operator count and unlicensed market share not published at T1/T2 article level. - searched: DCJA licensed online operators count Dominican Republic - searched: número operadores licenciados juego en línea República Dominicana - searched: Dominican Republic licensed casino operators registry - checked: casinos.gob.do Family routing. DO processed under civil-law-eu template but is a Caribbean civil-law (non-EU) jurisdiction; EU monopoly/concession-tender heuristics do not apply. Poker treated under DR casino/online framework, not a standalone jeux-de-cercle statute. - searched: Dominican Republic poker standalone statute - searched: póker licencia separada República Dominicana - searched: DR poker classification skill chance - checked: casinos.gob.do ## Source register Every source on a four-step tier scale. A claim is never shown at a stronger tier than the source it cites. 12 sources · 5 tier 1 · 7 tier 3 No. Source Tier Verification 1 DO-LEY-351-64 T1 of 4 Source 1 · Open in drawer → 2 DO-DCJA-HISTORY T1 of 4 Source 2 · Open in drawer → 3 DO-LEY-155-17 T1 of 4 Source 3 · Open in drawer → 4 DO-DCJA-MARCO-LEGAL T1 of 4 Source 4 · Open in drawer → 5 DO-HACIENDA-CASINO-LICENCE T1 of 4 Source 5 · Open in drawer → 6 DO-RES-136-2024 T3 of 4 Source 6 · Open in drawer → 7 DO-RES-184-2026 T3 of 4 Source 7 · Open in drawer → 8 DO-DEC-197-26 T3 of 4 Source 8 · Open in drawer → 9 DO-DGJA-BILL-2025 T3 of 4 Source 9 · Open in drawer → 10 DO-LICENSING-OVERVIEW T3 of 4 Source 10 · Open in drawer → 11 DO-DGJA-COUNCIL-BACKING T3 of 4 Source 11 · Open in drawer → 12 DO-LOTTERY-CHAMPION T3 of 4 Source 12 · Open in drawer → ### Claims with their own provenance Resolution 136-2024 set online casino licence at ~USD 346,000 and sports betting at ~USD 260,000, five-year term. DO-CP-001 · T3 of 4 (asserted T1, shown at its source's tier) · published 4 Apr 2024 · Confirmed Pipeline-sourced · From Advennt research · Rule detail not yet extracted Source 6 · T3