Dominican Republic gives lottery and betting shops 30 days to fix working conditions before nationwide labour inspections

What inspectors will check

According to the ministry's statement, many bancas operate from small kiosks that often have no toilets, even though staff work long shifts inside them. Inspections will focus on accessible sanitation, ergonomic seating, ventilation, lighting, drinking water, cleanliness, first-aid kits and fire extinguishers.

Inspectors will also check payment of the applicable minimum wage, working hours and rest periods, other Labour Code obligations, and whether workers are registered with the Dominican Social Security System.

The ministry said the small size of a kiosk or the informality of an outlet does not exempt its operator from labour obligations. It called on owners to pay legal wages, adapt workspaces and formalise employment relationships.

Timeline

The ministry describes the 30 days as a period of guidance and voluntary compliance. It will keep carrying out inspections and taking measures during that time, particularly where it finds risks to workers' health or safety. After the deadline, it plans nationwide inspection operations to record violations and act under existing law.

The labour directive comes days after the country's new gaming directorate, the DGJA, gave lottery-shop owners a separate 30-day window to declare unregistered outlets (see the October 25 global market update).