Quico Tabar warns of the immediate suspension of any betting shop or decision related to gambling that falls outside the framework of the new law under discussion. The warning comes amid the legislative debate seeking to create the General Directorate of Gambling in the Dominican Republic.
The coordinator of the regularization process, Teófilo José (Quico) Tabar Manzur, maintained that, once the initiative submitted by President Luis Abinader is approved, activities carried out outside established legal limits will be thoroughly reviewed. His stance aims to close the door on operations that have functioned outside the rules.
Tabar asked for the immediate halt of decisions that could alter the status of gambling activities while Congress finishes reviewing the bill. In his statement, he insisted that no administrative moves should be adopted that could later be questioned due to irregularities or conflicts of interest.
The warning is not limited to betting shops. It also reaches businessmen, employees, and officials linked to the sector, whom the official urged to align with the vetting process. The central message of Quico Tabar is clear: everything that does not comply with the regulations will be subject to review.
What the new law seeks
Legislation aims to organize an activity that, for years, has operated with administrative gaps and allegations of informality. According to Tabar, the goal is to correct what has not complied with established regulations and put an end to practices tolerated by the State, society, and the operators themselves.
- Review permits and operating status.
- Suspend administrative changes while the process lasts.
- Vet activities outside current decrees.
- Strengthen state control over the sector.
A sector under regulatory pressure
The discussion on lottery betting shops and other gambling is not new. In recent months, Tabar had already warned about closures and cancellations of permits for those who do not regularize within established deadlines. He has also defended the need to vet a market that, according to various public and private estimates, drags along informality and disputes over license control.
The legislative context adds tension to the debate. Differences between sector actors and legislators reflect the complexity of an industry with high economic volume, crossed interests, and a long history of fragmented supervision. In this scenario, Quico Tabar places regularization as a prerequisite for any lasting reorganization.
What comes next for betting shops
If Congress approves the bill, the process could open a new stage of fiscalization, with greater institutional power to review permits, validate operations, and suspend businesses that do not conform to the law. Tabar made it clear that there will be no room for decisions that could compromise the legitimacy of the process.
The signal sent by Quico Tabar is that betting shops outside the new legal framework will be exposed to suspension, review, or closure, as the State attempts to organize a sector that for years has operated between formality and exception.
