Dominican Republic names three presidential members to new Gambling Council that will license operators and set fees under Law 86-26

Dominican President Luis Abinader has named three members to the Gambling Council (Consejo de Juegos de Azar), the body that will license gambling operators and oversee the country's new regulator, the Dirección General de Juegos de Azar (DGJA).

Decree 810-26, dated November 11, 2026, names Julio César Castaños Guzmán, José Julio Antonio de la Altagracia Cross Frías and José Delio Ares Guzmán as members under Article 9(8) of Law 86-26 of September 22, 2026, which regulates gambling in the Dominican Republic. Article 2 sends the decree to the Ministry of Finance and Economy and to the DGJA for implementation. The Presidency announced the appointments the same day. The decree does not give the appointees' backgrounds or terms of office.

In its preamble, the decree says it is "necessary to complete" the council so it can exercise its powers, "including the supervision provided for in Article 185" of the law during the period of transition and start-up of the DGJA.

Who sits on the council

Article 8 of Law 86-26 creates the council as the "normative and supervisory authority" of the DGJA. Article 9 sets its membership:

• the Minister of Finance and Economy, who chairs it;
• the Minister of Tourism;
• the Minister of Interior and Police;
• the president of the board of the Dominican Telecommunications Institute (INDOTEL);
• the director general of the tax agency, the Dirección General de Impuestos Internos (DGII);
• the director of the Government Office of Information and Communication Technologies (OGTIC);
• the DGJA's director general, who serves as secretary with a voice but no vote;
• three members appointed by the President, the seats filled by Decree 810-26.

Members may delegate only to officials one rank below them. When the council deals with rules for a particular type of game, the law says it will invite the relevant gambling federations or associations to be heard.

The council meets once a month and in extraordinary session when at least four members ask. It can deliberate with half its members plus one, and decides by a majority of the members present, with the chair holding a casting vote.

What the council decides

Article 14 gives the council the main licensing and rule-making powers in the sector. They include:

• issuing regulations by resolution for people and companies covered by the law;
• granting, approving or rejecting concessions, licences and operating permits, and deciding which types of games may operate, on proposals from the DGJA director general;
• approving share transfers or other changes of control of licensed operators;
• setting fees for DGJA procedures and the amount and terms of operators' bonds;
• reviewing licence suspensions and revocations brought by the director general;
• licensing domestic and foreign technology companies and approving minimum software certification standards;
• deciding on the import, manufacture, transfer or withdrawal of slot machines;
• reviewing the DGJA's budget and ordering inspections.

Transition deadlines

Until the DGJA's structure is set up, Article 185 says its powers are exercised provisionally by the director general "under the supervision" of the council, with staff from the former Dirección de Casinos y Juegos de Azar of the Ministry of Finance and Economy. Decree 684-26 of October 2, 2026 named Teófilo José Abrahán Leo Tabar Manzur as director general on a transitional basis. The DGJA has already relied on Article 185 for interim rules, including Resolution 03-2026 on transfers, relocations and closures of lottery and betting shops.

Under Article 194, the council has 120 days from the law's entry into force to issue the DGJA's internal rules and organisational structure. Article 193 gives the President 90 days to issue the law's implementing regulation.

The council also has a role at the end of the 12-month registration window for operators already working legally. Article 190 gives it 90 days after that window closes to publish the register of licensees and establishments. Under Article 191, no new licences for those establishments will be granted for 10 years after the register is published, except for casinos in hotels and tourist areas.

Earlier DGJA measures, including the 30-day declaration window for lottery shops, are covered in AskSpinner's October 25 market update.