Paraguay breaks lottery monopoly with two state licenses
The National Gambling Commission (Conajzar) has marked a turning point in the gambling industry in Paraguay by officially awarding the quiniela lottery to two different operators. This decision, protected by Resolution number 47/2026, puts an end to decades of exclusivity in this market thanks to the implementation of the Amending Gambling Law regulated during 2025. The beneficiaries of this opening are the consortium TDP SA, which already operated the game, and the alliance formed by Daruma Sam, Caproni, and Dataforge, which will bring the quiniela to its platform under the renowned brand Apostala.
Both entities successfully passed a rigorous technical, legal, and financial evaluation process coordinated by an Interdisciplinary Review Committee. With this award, the companies obtain the right to operate the quiniela for a period of five years, ensuring a more competitive environment that promises to benefit both users and state coffers. The regulator emphasized that the presence of multiple actors guarantees greater transparency and sustainability for the collection system, whose funds are primarily allocated to public health and social welfare programs through DIBEN.
A growing market driven by record collection
The opening of the quiniela market comes at a time of remarkable dynamism for the sector in Paraguay. According to financial data recently revealed by Conajzar, the first quarter of 2026 has shown a very marked upward trend compared to the previous year.
This increase of 16 percent translates into a total collection of 55.043 billion guaraníes (approximately 8.2 million dollars) during the months of January, February, and March. January consolidated itself as the month with the highest historical performance for the organization, contributing more than 18.715 billion guaraníes to the state fund. These figures reinforce the importance of modernizing the gaming offering to maintain the flow of resources towards the country's most vulnerable sectors.
The differential situation of sports betting
It is important to note that, while the quiniela has managed to break away from the single-operator scheme, the sports betting market in Paraguay maintains a different schedule. Although the new legislation allows for up to three competitive bids, the current concession for sports betting, currently held by Daruma Sam (Apostala), is valid until 2028. Therefore, the entry of new competitors in this specific vertical will have to wait until the end of the current contract.
The Consorcio Forte Capital (comprising Gambling SA, Talismán SA, and B-Gaming Vimérica SA) also participated in the initial process, although it ultimately decided to withdraw from the tender. The session where the definitive award was ratified had the unanimous support of representatives from the Ministry of Interior, governorships, and municipalities, under the presidency of the National Directorate of Tax Revenue (DNIT). This institutional consensus underscores the Paraguayan government's willingness to move towards an open and regulated market model, fostering innovation and player protection against traditional monopolies.
Tags: Paraguay, Paraguay lottery, Betting Paraguay, Daruma Sam, Caproni, Dataforge, Apostala