Paraguay forges ahead with sportsbetting monopoly

Our readers will recall the resignation of Javier Balbuena, the head of the Paraguay national regulator Conajzar, earlier this month amidst a row over a monopolistic sports betting concession awarded to an allegedly politically connected company titled Daruma Sam SA.

The contentious issue saw the name of the national president, Horacio Cartes, dragged into allegations of interference in the judgement of the Office of the Comptroller General of the Republic after that body claimed irregularities in the award process had taken place and that the creation of a betting monopoly runs counter to the national constitution (see previous reports).

Despite the Comptroller’s determination that the award should be revoked, an official release from the Treasury Department of Paruguay states that Daruma Sam’s Apostala brand has been confirmed as the only legitimate sports betting operator in Paraguay after the signing of a decree by the newly elected president Óscar Ramón Portillo Martínez following an allegedly unanimous vote from members of Conajzar.

Related and similar